Unlimited
by Cricket Tealeaf
Summary: AU. Chapter 23: The Clock of the Time Dragon reveals all. 24: Various characters look to the future while Elphie and Yero focus on the present. Quoted from the musical, and the book. Lyrics from Cats, and of course, Wicked.
1. Chapter 1

So, where to, my lovely lady," Fiyero asked, exuberant as always.

"Give me a moment," Elphaba said, sitting down by the road side. She pulled the slippers from her satchel and looked at them for a second.

"You miss her," Fiyero said. It wasn't really a question.

"Yes, and not only that. I'm tired. It's been a whirlwind day." She laughed bitterly at the unintended pun.

Fiyero turned away and looked to the horizon. "The sun is rising," he muttered in a dreamy voice. He shivered a little. Elphaba wondered at this. A Scarecrow couldn't be cold, so what was troubling him?

"Yero..."

"Take all the time you need," he told her.

She ignored this. "What's on your mind?"

He laughed at her question. "My mind? Why, they say I haven't got one."

"That's not true and we both know it. They're the brainless ones," she seethed.

He made a dismissive noise. "It's not for us to worry about from here on."

"What is it?"

He shook his head, a few bits of straw coming loose. He watched them drift to the ground. "How did this happen to me?"

"I was desperate. I had to save you. I couldn't let them..." Her voice began to shake. "Please forgive me," she whispered, in a desperate voice.

"That you would spare me," he said, staring off again. He mentally shook himself and backtracked a few paces. He held his hand out to her, in assistance. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. He glanced at the slippers, still in her hands. "Perhaps, dear Nessa has been granted a miracle such as we were."

Elphaba gave him a sad smile. "If only...but no I saw what had happened. There was no chance. She had no chance." She began to wither. He put an arm around her and led her back to the road. "Oh, Yero. I had the best intentions. How I made a mess of things."

"Stop that. That kind of thinking gets you nowhere, and I won't hear any of it. Look! The road's ahead of us, which ever way we turn. Where would you like to go?"

"I'm not sure." She looked up at him. "Is there somewhere you would like to see? Or something you want to do?"

He cocked his head, thinking on it while they continued to walk forward. "Nor. What's became of my sweetest Nor?"

She faltered. A question she had not anticipated, had not prepared for, although she should have been ready for. She stopped and ducked under his arm. She backed away from him. _By the Unnamed God, what am I supposed to say to him? How to explain?_

He turned to look back at her, bewildered by her behavior. "Elphie?"

"The Gale Force. They stormed Kiamo Ko." She turned her back not wanting to see his face. Or him to see hers. "Sarima, Irji and Nor were taken. They executed your son. It was a terrible public spectacle. There were rumors that Sarima was killed as well but I cannot say for certain. As for Nor, I have no knowledge. I'm not sure if she lives, or where she may be."

Fiyero was silent for a long time. Elphaba finally summoned the courage to turn around and look at him. He was sitting down by the side of the road, much as she had done a few moments before. He held his head in his hands. He must have sensed her watching at him because just then he looked up at her. He patted the ground beside himself. _Sit._

She complied, remaining silent. She watched him closely. As he had done before, he seemed to stare at nothing, seeing nothing and hearing nothing. _Empty-headed, my ass...I'd give anything to know what was going through that brain of yours._

After a great while, he seemed to rouse himself from the reverie. He lifted his hand and studied it in the pale morning light. He seemed fascinatinated by it.

Elphaba looked frantically back and forth between his face and the hand at eye level. _Has he gone mad now?_

Fiyero suddenly jumped to his feet. "I will find her!"

"Oh, Fiyero...she is probably beyond help at this point."

He shook his head at her negatives. Again, straw loosened from beneath his hat. He swatted it away, irritated. "I will find her, yes. No, _we_ will find her. But first..." He lifted the offending hand again. "First, we must fix this."

"Magic doesn't work like that. What has been done, cannot be undone."

He scoffed and gave her a disaproving look. (To all my criminal minds readers :)) "In the entire history of mankind there is nothing that cannot be undone," he said, shaking a finger at her.

"But it's not that simple. Fiyero, you just don't understand."

"No? Well, I hear rumors too. And they tell me that there is a girl, down in the Cloister of Saint Glinda. The real Saint Glinda, I mean, not that giddy little featherhead flitting about in her bubble."

Elphaba had to smile at his mini-tirade. She hid it with her hand.

"I hear she has quite an unusual talent with the domingon. She can reverse this spell. I'm sure of it."

"And then what?"

"I've already told you. We go to find Nor. Rescue her if need be."

"As I said, it's not that simple."

"Why shouldn't it be? It seems fairly straightforward to me."

"Because we are both wanted criminals _and _we are both supposed to be dead. And if we manage to change you back they will certainly recognize you. Coupled with my lovely shade of green we ought to stick out nicely. Might as well prepare the gallows for us, right now."

"And you've never heard of a disguise? Really, Elphie, you act as if you're the one without a brain."

"Stop that," she hissed at him. "You've got more going on up there, than half the population of this God-forsaken place."

"So you say."

A small noise caused them both to turn. A young boy, of perhaps thirteen, stood watching them. Elphaba relaxed. "Oh, it's you Liir. Thank goodness, you atleast are safe."

"Liir? I don't believe I've met...," Fiyero began to say. Elphaba shot to her feet and began to walk briskly away. "Where are you going?"

"You wanted to go. So lets go. We'll never get anywhere if we sit around here dilly-dallying all day."

Liir drew level to Fiyero and the two of them exchanged a look. "Women: they are the strangest of creatures," Fiyero told the boy. He then ran ahead to catch up with Elphaba. "So who is this Liir kid," he asked her.

Her lips worked silently for a few seconds. "Um...do you remember what happened back during the Corn Exchange?"

"Oh yes, that was wonderful," he said, grinning widely. "But what does that have to...oh." He glanced back at the boy, who was now following them. "You mean...he's...no, it can't be."

Both of them fell silent after this.


	2. Chapter 2

"Tell me you atleast have a plan," Elphaba asked, after walking in silence for a great while.

"Yeah, I wanted to make it up as we go."

She sighed, wearily. "I was thinking that maybe it would make more sense if we waited until after we find Nor, to change you back."

Fiyero wrinkled his nose at the thought, as much as was Scarecrowly possible.

Elphaba grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Listen to me," she pleaded. "It makes more sense. As Fiyero, you're a traitor to Oz, as the Scarecrow you're a national hero. You could just walk into, even the Southstairs and liberate whoever you wanted, and no one would think twice of it."

He tilted his head, slightly, considering. "You're right, it does make more sense."

She sighed again, knowing him too well. "But...?"

"You don't understand what this is like. It's important to me, Elphie. That I get myself normal again. To feel a cool breeze on my face, to taste the sweet nectar of pearlfruit...to revel in the love of a good woman," he said, with an unsurreptious look at her.

_Why, Fiyero, if I weren't green, I'd have turned pink. Oh you rake. _She put a hand on either side of her face and her eyes dropped demurely to the ground, in an uncharacteristic gesture of girlishness.

Fiyero forced himself to tear his eyes away. "It's getting late. Maybe you and Liir would like to get some rest."

Elphaba shook her head. "I'm not tired. But I'm sure Liir must be. It can't be easy for a child."

"Dorothy had little trouble," Fiyero told her and regretted it instantly.

Elphaba bristled. The moment they had shared was clearly over. "Why, Fiyero, I thought Boq was the one who had no heart," she hissed. "That little soubrette killed my sister.

He smacked himself upside the head. "Sorry, Elphie, nothing going on up here. As a result, my mouth tends to run away from me. Wasn't her fault anyway, how was she to know that her house would just go flying and Nessa would be in the way?"

She softened at once. She never had been able to stay angry with him for long, not even in their tulmutuous youth. "Well, if you put it like that, I suppose I can't blame her."

"I'll stand watch," he told her.

"Wake me at midnight and I'll relieve you."

"No, I got it."

"All night? Yero, I won't even here of it."

He smiled at her and she felt she would melt, for real this time. "One of the good things about being a Scarecrow is that I don't need to sleep. You do. Tommorrow will be just as long as today was," he said.

She removed her cape and spread it out on the ground. She glanced 'round herself, looking for Liir. The lad was already asleep, leaning into the crook of an apple tree. She sat down and turned her attention back to Fiyero. "Are you sure this is what you want? No matter the disguise, we will attract unwanted attention. The three of us can disapear to anonymity. No one will be the wiser. They believe you and I to be dead, and there are few that even know of Liir. I'm sure there is a spell somewhere that can make life more bearable for you and I promise you, I will find it."

"This isn't life. It's an existance alright, but hardly so." He looked down at her and his expression was without blame. "You did this out of your love for me, I know. And I love you all the more for it. But Elphie, try to understand. I can't go on like this. This isn't life. It's emptiness with the semblance of life."

_Oh, Fiyero, though you play the fool and play it well, the truth of what you are makes itself known again and again. _

He kicked at some pebbles and scattered them wide.

Elphaba tried to speak but her voice fell apart before she formed the first word. She cleared her throat and tried again. "So what you're telling me is that this...what I've done to you is worse than death would have been?"

"I love you, Elphie, and I respect you. And that is why I can't lie to you."

She nodded her understanding and turned away from him. She lay down and closed her eyes. For along time, her thoughts dwelled on the conversation they had had but as the moon climbed higher into the night sky it gradually slipped from her mind. Finally, she relaxed.

For the first time in she didn't remember when, she felt safe. Not even the mighty fortress of Kiamo Ko had brought her this sense of security. Not so much as this empty stretch of land, with Fiyero watching over her.

She woke once during the night. Her eyes fell immediatly on his form. He stood completly still some thirty feet from where she lay, his figure sillhoutted in the moonlight. She sighed blissfully. _Would that I could give you everything that you wish for my love. Soon I hope that you will get it. How hard it must be for you. _

She watched him for a long time but sleep eventually snuck back upon her.


	3. Chapter 3

A faint light appeared on the horizon, the first tentative ray of the approaching dawn. It was, as it always had been, enough to wake Liir. But this morning he felt stiff and sore from the way he had slept. He groaned and got shakily to his feet. He turned his head and gave the old apple tree a critical look. He stretched his limbs, shaking the sleep from them.

He walked through the fading dark. Far off in the distance, their destination was now visible. The Cloister of Saint Glinda. Long ago, he had called the place home. _There's no place like home, _he thought wistfully. _Now where have I heard that before? _He shook his head and continued walking. In those days, he knew little of witches and even less of talking Scarecrows. Such a strange fate he had been dealt.

"Pealfruit," someone called from the shadows. Like a wraith, the Scarecrow emerged from a break in the trees. Liir stumbled back and fell. The strange creature loomed above him, at once frightening. Unnatural, even for Oz.

"Careful now," it said, with a soft chuckle. It extended it's arm, holding it out for him.

Liir pushed it roughly away and jumped to his feet. "Don't touch me," he spat at it. And he ran.

It was an understandable reaction, Fiyero supposed. But that did not make it any easier to take. He stood up straight and looked in the direction that Liir had run. But the boy was gone.

Elphaba had slept surprisingly well. She sat up with a stretch and a yawn.

Liir stalked past her looking sour. He grabbed his small carry-bag and threw it over his shoulder.

"What happened," she murmured, sleepily.

But before he could answer, Fiyero rejoined them.

"You're awake," he said. He smiled at her but it didn't reach his eyes. This gave her pause. Maybe it was an effect of the synthetic features. She tried to dismiss it but couldn't. She knew her Fiyero too well. Something was clearly troubling him. He looked quickly away. "Lets get moving. We should get there by noon," he told them.

Elphaba followed saying nothing. For now.

With every step the mauntery grew closer. As it loomed in the distance, Elphaba decided it was time to press him for information. "What happened with Liir?"

"Oh, t'was nothing," he said, with a feeble laugh.

"Of course not. Obviously nothing. Must be my imagination that you two won't look at each other now."

"Must be."

She made an exasperated noise. "Yero, come on."

But he continued to dismiss it, "It's nothing to worry about. Really, Elphie. As soon as we get this spell lifted everything will be fine."

"If you say so." She gave the maunteryl a foreboding look

"Are you sure he's my son," Fiyero blurted out.

She turned an icy glare on him. "What do you mean? Do you think that I am the type to go run off with any and every boy I see?"

"Wow, could that have come out more wrong? I'm guessing not," he said with a nervous laugh.

But she countinued to give him a haughty look.

"He looks nothing like me. Of course he wouldn't now. But I mean before. Hell, he doesn't even look like you."

"He's our son, Yero."

Her voice was still stiff, but atleast she was calling him Yero. That counted for something. He relaxed, but not by much. It was still prudent to tread carefully around her in times such as these. "Maybe someone switched him at birth and our real son is still out there...somewhere."

She stared at him for a moment, with an odd look on her face. He was certain that she would set him on fire. For what? The third time now. _I do like the smell of burning straw. Although not so much when it's me._ But then she began to laugh.

He laughed too, with a wary glance at her. At first cautious, but gradually more unrestricted.

Liir scowled at the two of them. He knew nothing of the conversation and prefered it that way. Both of them were raving mad in his opinion.

Less than fifty yards from the mauntery, Elphaba suddenly came to a halt. She looked to Fiyero. "Okay, so now that we're here, what do we do now?"

He gave her a blank look. "I was hoping you would tell me."

She stared at him incredolous. "This was your idea."

He was silent for a few beats. "Sanctuary?"

She smiled. "Of course. We could claim sanctuary. Then I am free to be the Wicked Witch, or hell, Lurline herself. And there's not a damn thing they can do about it. Brilliant Yero."


	4. Chapter 4

"I lived here once," Elphaba confessed. "With Liir."

"Are you certain? Surely one mauntery looks like the next," Fiyero asked, examining his hopefully soon-to-be former Scarecrow image in a tall mirror.

"That is true but yes, I'm sure of it. This is the very same one." She became reflective. "Kiamo Ko had been taken. All of Vinkus was undersiege."

"And so you fled the fortress with the boy." For all of his compassion and understanding, there was a touch of hurt betrayl in Fiyero's voice.

"Would that I could of spared your family the suffering wrought them. Fiyero, you must know that," she said, with great remorse.

"Were you present when they were taken?"

"They say tis a noble deed to and die for those you love. But I say, tis nobler still to bide ones time and live to fight another day."

Fiyero said nothing and kept his back to her. She watched him closely, looking for any kind of reaction.

_They were children! My children and my wife and you did nothing!_ She fancied those as his thoughts. Unflappable and foolhardy. He had the pretense down to an art, keeping his trueself locked away from the world, and on occasion even to her.

There came a hesitant knock on the door and a young girl came into the room. Her name was Candle, so they had been told. She met neither of their gazes and kept her eyes on the floorboards.

There was a momentary silence but Fiyero broke it by saying, "I hear you have quite the talent with your instrument."

She clutched the domingon as if it were her lifeline. She gave him a slight nod in acquiesce.

Ever the diplomat, Fiyero continued. "Word of your gift has spread far and wide. I have come all the way from Emerald City with the hopes that you will grant my request."

Emerald City was a two day hike at the longest. Shorter with the aid a wagon and pony. But Elphaba kept her mouth shut on this and let him work his particular brand of magic.

"In my mother's courts there was a young lady who would play for us every evening. It was quite remarkable if I recall. I wonder if the two of you may be related."

The girl seemed to relax slightly but the change was almost imperceptible.

"That matters little at any rate. What does matter is that all these stories of you and your domingon have reached my ears and I must say have filled me with a sense of nostalgia. How I long for things to be as they were all those years ago. A chance to turn the clock back again and be as I once was." He paused and looked at Candle imploringly. "Is there any chance you will grant my request?"

Elphaba held her breath. The girl said nothing, made no move for what seemed an eternity. Finally, she nodded her head.

Fiyero clapped his hands once. "Wonderful. Lets get started."

Whatever other powers it may have held the girl's music was certainly soothing. It lulled Fiyero and he felt a strange sensation steal over him. It held some familarity but just what that was, he couldn't place.

Elphaba rose from her seat, alarmed as he swayed on his feet. She rushed to his side.

Candle stopped playing. A handful of notes in and already a profound effect.

"Elphie...I felt something," he told her.

She guided him to the bed and made him sit.

He looked around at Candle. "Why'd you stop?" _Free me. To what ever end, just set me free, _his eyes seemed to say.

Candle began again, the pure melody enveloping the room, tugging at his soul. And Elphaba's. She nearly wept at the beauty of it.

But only Fiyero felt the strength of it's impact. A voice seemed to rise with the notes. He knew the room was empty save the three of them and none were responsible for it. He lay back.

The sheets felt cool against him. It took a moment for the significance of this to hit him. Startled, he stared at his arms. Still made of straw. But surely, it meant something? He puzzled at this. The voice rose in timbre, singing just for him.

Of love. Of peace. Joy. Celebration.

Elphaba raised a shaking hand to her mouth. It seemed there were two of him. No. That wasn't right. It was her Fiyero with the Scarecrow superimposed over him.

One of the candles flared up. An errant spark flew to the bed and made purchase. The brittle straw blazed even before she could react. She gave voice to her shock. But she found she could not move. "Fiyero!"

But all of this was beyond him. The beguiling words and melody drawing him ever down into a dreamlike state.

The straw and rags burned away to nothing at the shoulder revealing a patch of dusky ocher. The conflaguration grew but, miraculousy nothing else was touched by the flames.

Candle played on as they leapt higher, similarly in a trance, with little awareness and no regard for the raging fire before her.

Straw disintigrated at an alarming rate now, feeding the inferno. Ash fell like snow. The last remnants of the Scarecrow crumpled to a fine powder.

The fire imploded upon itself. Now it was just Fiyero, exactly as she remembered him. Blue diamonds on his chest, down his abdomen, on his arms. She looked up at his face and he seemed perfectly untroubled by what had just happened.

Mother Yackle burst into the room. She grabbed Elphaba's wrist with a claw-like hand. "Quick, you silly girl. He's slipping away."

_Imagine that. Someone with the nerve to call me, the notorious Wicked Witch of the West, a silly girl! But then Yackle was always one to be reckoned with herself. _

A cut split Fiyero's lower lip and the makings of a bruise marred his right eye.

"You see," the harridan rasped, shaking Elphaba roughly. "Quick now, I say. Did you think that night would have no consequence?"

Elphaba muttered the first thing that came to her mind. A binding spell, tethering his life to hers. After all, were they not already two halves of one whole?

She felt it's effects immediatly, the strength being drained from her. She staggered forward but Yackle kept her on her feet.

"Stop that infernal playing," the crone snarled at Candle. The girl blinked and came back to herself. She dropped her bow and it clattered to the floor. The two of them were able to manuver Elphaba to the bed, before she completly collapsed.

A terrible burning pain rose in her chest, like she had been stabbed with a firebrand and she nearly cried with the agony. _This is what he feels right now. Oh my love, I can't spare you the pain but I can keep you with me. We shall face this together. _She pulled herself closer to him, drawing up against his naked body. He was warm as if touched with the slightest of fevers. Or perhaps she was just cold.


	5. Chapter 5

Fiyero woke to darkness. Well, not quite. The room was bathed in moonlight. He sat up a bit and instantly regretted it. There seemed not to be an inch of him that wasn't aching.

But it was a good ache, a healing one.

He looked down at himself to see his torso was wrapped tight with bandages. Broken ribs no doubt, the aftermath of all those years ago leaping into the present to plague him. Still it came with the knowledge that now, at long last, he was once again wholly alive. Part of the world again, instead of living on the fringes. He laughed aloud at the prospect.

Elphaba stirred at the sound "Wuz funny," she mumbled, half-asleep.

"It hurts everywhere," he told her.

She gave him a look like he had gone mad.

He kissed her forehead just beneath the hairline and pulled her even closer. "This is perfect," he breathed.

But she had other plans. She moved with a fluid grace, sliding atop him. "I see you're rising to the occasion," she said, coyly.

He laughed again. He was cut off by a twinge from his sore ribs. He winced and said, "Not that I don't want this to happen but this is kind of strenous and I'm sure I should be taking it easy."

She silenced his protest with a sultry look. She leaned down and ran a finger along his lower abdomen where the skin was uncovered. He shivered with pleasure and his words ran dry.

"Who said you have to do anything," she teased. She wrapped her hand around and kissed the top.

"Oh my," he gasped.

She parted her lips and slid them down over it. She felt him stiffen. She straightened herself and looked down at him. "Would this please you, do you think?"

"Yeah..."

She smoothed a plait of unruly hair behind her ear and went back to the task at hand. She smiled inwardly as he twisted his hands into the sheets. A small moan of ecstacy escaped his lips

She teased and tantalyzed, trying to prolong things as much as possible. Fifteen years he had known little pleasure. If she had her way that would stop now.

He twisted beneath her and the moans escalated to cries as she continually brought him to the edge of release only to withdraw just enough and start the process again.

For nearly three hours this went on until she decided he had enough (and she was tired) and allowed him the release. She let go and her hand came away sticky. Carefully, she licked the thick liquid from her fingers and snuggled in beside him again. "Was that good? Did you enjoy?"

He nodded vigorously, apparently too winded to speak.

She smiled, pleased with herself. "I aim to please."

He shifted, turning to her and wrapping his strong arms around her, pressing her tight against him. It was as if he were afraid that somehow she would give him the slip and leave. _But why should you fear? _She sighed. He was ever the mystery. The more she learned, the more questions she had.

* * *

"Scandalous! The fornication! And inside these hallowed halls," Sister Liason wailed.

"They have the right given extenuating circumstances," the Superior Maunt replied, unimpressed by her subordinates bemoaning.

Sister Liason gasped. "Surely, you do not advocate such an impopriety? Oh! I'd never thought I'd see the day our honor was so besmirched. And the both of them dangerous felons. I was against it from the beginning. They should have never been granted sanctuary."

"The Unnamed God does not look on an act of love between a man and a woman with ill-favor. As far as I'm concerned it was homage paid were homage was due." The Superior Maunt paused and looked over at the younger woman. "How is that you know of their actions conducted behind closed doors? Were you spying on them? I daresay, you got quite the show."

Liason looked aghast, the very model of shocked indignation. "Why the very thought-"

"Yes, yes. You are as pious as they come now if you please, I have to see to our guests," she said, dismissively.


	6. Chapter 6

"Well, she wasn't very bright and I should know. She just kept staring up at me all slackjawed and looking dumb founded. 'Oh my word, a talking Scarecrow.' And she has that damn little rat of hers in her arms. She looks at it and says, 'Toto, did you ever see such a thing?' Mind you this is not a Dog that can talk. Or do much of anything useful, for that matter."

One of the novices laughed at this. Elphaba whipped her head around and gave her a sharp look. Three of them were gathered around her Fiyero. _Pious, my ass_, she fumed. The little coquettes were practically fawning all over him. Her eyes blazed with barely checked fury. She'd break every bone in their bodies before she let them put their filthy little paws on him. And she had just the spell to do it with too.

"It had a look about it that said if she let it go, it would come right over and christen my pole. I tell you, if I had been given the chance I would have dropped kicked the little menace into the next field."

This recieved giggles all around. Elphaba grinned at all of them, revealing her sharpened teeth.

"Of course, I was so glad to be free of the pole that I would have told her anything if she would just help me get down. It was terribly boring up there. But truth be told I had no intention of having an audience with the wizard. I kept looking for some way to give her the slip. As I said, she wasn't very bright. I figured it would be fairly easy but you can always count on the foolish to act as such."

One of the girls leaned forward and touched his arm. Elphaba nearly cursed her then and there. "What did she do?"

"Well, we had come up on this abandoned apple orchard and who should we run into but my old buddy Boq."

"Isn't that a good thing," one of them asked innocently. A little too innocently. Elphaba contemplated making all her teeth and hair fall out, her skin suddenly break out in boils.

"No. The guy is a complete maniac. I kept trying to tell her to leave him be. It's best that he stay up there where he is. Let him rust." He gave Elphaba a look at this point. "What's worse is that someone had to go and make him pretty well invincible." She bristled and looked murderous.

"Anyway, Dorothy goes ahead and starts oiling him up. A pox on the man who left the oil can for her to find. And now I know I'm stuck. I tell you what, it's a good thing a Scarecrow doesn't need his sleep. Left to his own devices, he'd have slaughtered her and Brr in their sleep. It was all down to me to make sure he didn't go and do just that. I was terrified for the two of them."

"Brr? Who's that?"

"Oh right, Brr was the lion who went with us. Cowardly they call him, but not I. I know more about him and how he came to be than he does. But that is a story for another day. Elphie looks about ready to foam at the mouth and I'm sure I can't imagine why."

"Hazard at a guess," she snarled, through clenched teeth.

He looked around at the three girls. "Can you give us some privacy? If it's not too much trouble?" One by one they flitted away.

As soon as they were gone, Elphaba smacked him on the arm.

"Hey! A little respect for the injured party."

"What exactly do you call yourself doing? You want us to get kicked out of here for lewd behavior? Or do you just want me to murder you in your sleep?"

"What did I do?"

"Oh, Mr. Fiyero...oh your so handsome. Come and share my bed and we shall make many children."

He laughed and shook his head. Big mistake. "It's not like that at all," he said, reaching for her arm. She snatched it back, jumping to her feet and storming away.

* * *

Liir dozed under the shade of a pearlfruit tree. Or was trying to.

Candle was closeby him, playing her domingon. The middle string had sprung and now there was a frightful dissonance. Had there been any magic to be done it would have failed utterly or been twisted in it's purpose. But today she was just a girl and it was just a domingon.

However, it was not without effect. Liir raised his head and glowered at her. He picked a softened pearlfruit from the ground and lobbed it at her. She ducked her head and it soared over. She said nothing at the injustice but moved over to the other side of the tree. She returned to her playing. He snarled a variety of obscenities at her.

Mother Yackle crossed the yard, jabbering to herself and waving her arms about in a wild manner. Mad they called her. Well, by the Unnamed One, she'd give them a reason to.

She stopped by Liir's resting place and stared at him blatantly. He tried, unsuccesssfully, for several minutes to ignore her. Eventually, he had to look.

She swept into as deep of a bow as her arthritic joints would allow. "Behold, son of the mighty. The famed lines of Thropp and Tigelaar come together in a single progeny. Heir to the noblest of families. Your ancestors shall applaud your magnificence, kind sir." Surly youth that he was, the mocking irony in her voice was almost lost on him. Almost. He scowled at her. She laughed, or began to choke. Which one was nigh impossible to discern given her advanced age. He decided that it must have been the former as she went on her way. Far, far away from him he hoped.

* * *

Elphaba was still in a foul mood. She and Fiyero had left the yard and returned to the mauntery.

"I suppose that you haven't go a plan for what you're going to do when you leave this place?"

"I do actually. My new identity will be Euric Xezzix."

She sneered at the name. "Xezzix?"

"It's a common enough name among the Vinkus. But not so common that someone will realize that we are not who we say we are."

_We? _"Shocking that you've actually thought something through for once."

He ignored her jibe. "What about you? You given any thought to a name for yourself?"

She paused to consider. "Neese. My sister was an honorable woman, it's the least I can do for her memory."

Fiyero looked thoughtful. "Neese Xezzix. Has a nice ring to it."

She raised an eyebrow. "Who says I'm to be your wife?"

"Well, if you'd prefer to be my travelling concubine..."

"I made a life for myself here, once before. I can conform to this lifestyle easily enough."

Sometimes it was impossible to tell if she were joking or not. This was one of those times. He let it go anyway. _Give her a minute to cool down and we'll see if she really means it._

It worked as it usually did. "Suppose I was to accompany you, what then? You've been 'dead' for nearly two decades. Most people won't recognize you. Whereas I am still fresh in many memories."

"Well, Yackle, oracle that she is, knew that we would be coming before we even knew. She set Sister Weaver and Sister Spindle to work on a veil for you. It goes all the way to the floor. I've seen it."

She gave him an incredulous look. "A veil? That's not very practical."

"Convenient though."

"Maybe for you. You won't be wearing it. A veil will snag on bramble. Will it cover my feet? And what of bathing? I cannot wear it while doing so. What if someone stumbles upon me and then the jig is up."

"Why must you always be so difficult?"

_What? Fiyero finally losing his patience? _Elphaba smiled wryly at the concept. "I am only being realistic."

He groaned. "I'm tired now. You have a skin condition that causes you to burn in the sun hence the need for the veil. I'm going to sleep, don't bother me anymore about it."


	7. Chapter 7

_Nor stood on her tiptoes, stretching herself up to see over the border wall. Coming up behind her, Fiyero swept her up and set her there. He held her tightly, careful that her wobbly toddler legs didn't carry her over the edge. She looked out over the mountain side, and into the valley below with a wide-eyed innocence. It was near dusk and the whole world was awash in crimson and violet._

_"Pretty," she cooed in an awestruck voice._

_"When I was a little one, my governess or sometimes my nursemaid would bring me out here. There was one that I will never forget. She would always sing to me. She loved to sing, always. She had a lovely voice, I remember."_

_"Guvness?"_

_"That's right. But that is something you or your brothers will never have. If it can't be done by me or your mother, well, then it doesn't need to be done. No crochety old hag for my little ones. Especially not for my Nor. Only the best."_

_A flock of white pfenixes took flight from a nearby crag and flew over them. Nor watched their progress._

_"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high/There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby," Fiyero began to sing to her. She was at the age when everything fascinated her. She gazed at him with something like wonder._

_"Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue/And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true." He lifted her onto his shoulders, giving her an even better view of the land._

_"Someday, I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me/Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me."_

_"Someday, I'll wake and rub my eyes and in that land beyond the skies you'll find me/Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true."_

No time for dreaming now. No point in it anyway. Nor shook herself and returned to the present. She swept her long white hair back into a single braid and pulled a silvery-gray dress over herself. Elegant, in it's simplicity.

She gazed at herself in the mirror.

"I remember, she sang so beautifully, I thought she must be my mother. My real mother was quick to correct this, though I saw little of her in those early years, can you blame my confusion? Attending banquets and other high-class social gatherings were more important to her. Leave the child rearing to the servants. And the girl had grown to love me like her own and so did nothing to sway my opinion. When she was finally found out, she was dismissed. I never saw her again after that," her father seemed to say to her across the years.

_Somewhere, over the rainbow, bluebirds fly/ __Birds fly over the rainbow, w__hy then - oh, why can't I?/__If happy little bluebirds fly __beyond the rainbow w__hy, oh, why can't I?_

There had been happiness. And then Fiyero had been cruelly ripped from their lives to fade into mere memory and soon enough the authorities had come for them too.

Those days were long gone. Here there be monsters.

Or so the saying goes.


	8. Chapter 8

"Pearlfruit," Fiyero said. "Do you have any idea how long it's been?" He began to slice it into little pieces.

"I'm happy for you," Elphaba told him.

One of the Sisters was making her way up the hill to where they were. "Begging your pardons, sir, maam, but now that the gentleman is up and moving around-"

"You were wondering when we would be on our way," Fiyero finished for her.

"Essentially, yes."

"You can tell your Superior Maunt that they will be leaving at sunup and that I will be accompaning them," Mother Yackle announced. Up until now her presence had gone unnoticed.

Elphaba began to protest this but Yackle cut her off. "The two of you are in dire need of direction. Without me you'd go walking off a cliff. And you," she cried, whirling around on Fiyero, "Don't think for one instant that this will go the way you wanted it to."

He shook his head and laughed. "What could go wrong?"

She gave him a cold glare. "They're right about you. You are a blithering idiot." She glanced at Elphaba and made a 'hmph' sound before heading down the hill with the Sister.

A donkey and a small cart were awarded to them upon their departure. Candle, apparently, had invited herself along as well.

After some bickering between Fiyero and Elphaba, in which she demanded that he ride in the cart, while he argued that he was well enough that he could walk. During this Yackle called them both fools, Liir looked sour and resentful, and Candle maintained her silence.

Eventually, he submitted to her will. Candle sat across from him in the cart, with her domingon by her side. Yackle rode the donkey while Liir and Elphaba walked, the former continually giving voice to his displeasure.

"You're a Quadling," Fiyero asked, taking note of Candle's ruddy complexion.

She nodded in earnest.

He eyed her shrewdly. "It's not that you can't speak, it's that you won't. Why, I wonder." But he said no more on it.

_"Something has changed within me, something is not the same/I'm through with playing by the rules of someone elses game,"_ he began in his pleasing baritone, after a long while of riding in silence. _"Too late for second guessing, too late to go back to sleep/Its time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap."_ Elphaba stopped walking and waited for him to draw level so she could walk beside him.

* * *

Nor raced down a path that she had tread many times before. She threw a glance back over her shoulder. Her pursuer was far enough behind her, so she ducked into an alleyway.

She leaned back against a wall and removed a small but very sharp knife from her boot.

_I'm through accepting limits because someone says they're so/Somethings I cannot change but til I try I'll never know._

"What are you doing?"

She bit back a scream.

A young man, hardly older than she, held his intoxicated friend upright while the other emptied the contents of his stomach.

At this point her would be assailant ran past without stopping. Nor visibly relaxed.

"Ah, I think I got it. Some men are pricks that only think of one thing," he said.

She decided not to tell him that the reason why her antagonist had been after her was because he caught her picking his pocket.

"Hey, you're one of those Tavern girls," he blurted. "From the Giddy Pixie."

She straightened herself, looking haughty. "I serve tables. Not entertainment."

"Alright," he said, holding up his hands. "No offense intended. I'm Trism, by the way. Trism bon Cavalish."

"I'm unimpressed," she told him coolly. She began to walk away.

"Hey," he called after her. "You look like a girl who needs a place to stay the night." Okay, now he had her attention.

_Too long I've been afraid of losing love I guess I've lost/Well, if that's love it comes at much too high a cost._

* * *

The odd band of travelers set up night camp. By now, a merry little fire was consuming a cluster of twigs. Fiyero sat closest to it, with Elphaba close by. Yackle observed this and gave them another 'hmph'.

After a few minutes, Elphaba stood up and stole into the trees. It was nice to be with company but mostly she had been a solitary soul. So now she was glad for the privacy. She turned her face upward to the sky.

_"So if you care to find me, look to the western sky, as someone told me lately 'Everyone deserves the chance to fly'/And if I'm flying solo atleast I'm flying free/To those who'd ground take a message back for me," _she sang to the full moon. She couldn't leave of course, though she may want to. Fiyero would never forgive her.

* * *

Nor brushed her hair out and turned down her oil lamp. Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, she sang softly to herself.

_"Tell them how I am defying gravity/I'm flying high, defying gravity and soon I'll match them all in renown..."_

* * *

Elphaba returned to the camp. Fiyero was there waiting for her. He tossed a few more twigs into the fire. She went across to him and sat down in front of him and leaned back into his arms.

_"Dreams the way we planned them," _he began.

_"If we work in tandem,"_ she echoed.

_"There's no fight we cannot win/Just you and I defying gravity/ With you and I defying gravity," _they sang together.

_"They'll never bring us down,"_ he finished.


	9. Chapter 9

_At this moment in time, Glinda Arduenna was exactly thirty-six years, seven months, twenty-eight days, three hours and forty-two minutes old. She was waiting patiently for the royal Pie-maker. But this is not their story..._

"Well, that looks promising," Elphaba said, staring up at a corpse snared in some vines.

Fiyero gave it a quick look but looked away just as fast. "I think he's trying to tell us something," he said, regarding the corpse.

Again, she found herself questioning his sanity. Maybe all those years as the Scarecrow really had addled his brains. "What?"

"That we probably shouldn't go in there. It's a sign," he explained.

"It's a ploy. Too obvious. Probably put there by some old hermit. It might not even be real."

He didn't look convinced.

"Don't worry, Fiyero, I'll protect you," she teased.

He gave her a half-annoyed, half-amused look.

"If there were anything to fear, Yackle would have alerted us."

"I do not advise. Things will occur as they were intended to," the ancient crone told them.

"Thanks, you've made me feel alot better."

Yackle sneered at him and compared him to the Kalidah, ravenous but notoriously stupid creatures, akin to tigers. One must always wear a blindfold when venturing into their hunting grounds, for they believe that if you can't see them, they can't see you.

Fiyero ignored her comment and began to walk down the trail into the dank wood. "That sign said this is the Chiss forest. The city of Shiz is two miles to the west, do you think it's a spelling mistake," he asked Elphaba.

"Must be," she replied.

Now sharing the cart with Liir, Candle stared up at the corpse as the donkey pulled them slowly past.

"It's going to eat you," Liir taunted, maliciously.

She shuddered involuntarily and he laughed at her reaction.

Yackle fell silent and became still. Her eyes scanned every shadow, ears tuned to the slightest sound.

The donkey came to an abrupt halt and though it did not panic, could not be convinced to go any further. Yackle snorted, "At least someone else here has an ounce of common sense." A sudden silence fell around them.

When nothing happened, Fiyero took a cautious step forward. The earth caved beneath his foot. Elphaba lunged forward and snatched him back.

The hole quickly spread into a chasm. The ground trembled and there came a terrible din like the shrieking of ten-thousand Vixens. A massive leathery paw appeared on one side, followed by a second just like it. Next came the head, a hideous human caricature, as the monstrosity pulled itself out of the chasm. It sucked in a breath and let out another blood-curdling shriek.

In a far realm, known only to three souls ever to traverse the land of Oz, this creature was called manticore. But the travellers knew nothing of that land and little of it's strange inhabitants. Here the creature was known as the Chiss. Whatever the name or the location, the intent was always the same.

"What in the name of the Unnamed One do you call yourselves doing? Have you all gone daft," Yackle screeched at them as she hobbled away. The rest of them scattered in opposite directions. All except for Candle, who had been completely paralyzed by fear. The Chiss hurtled itself towards her.

Taking notice of this, Fiyero stooped to collect some large stones. He realized as soon as he picked them up that they were the skulls of various creatures. The former owners wouldn't be needing them anymore, he decided and threw them at the Chiss. They struck it's side and fell apart. But had been sufficient in drawing it's attention.

It eyes blazed red with sudden rage as it faced him. A spasm rode it's spine and it lifted it's tail. Several barbs came loose and hurtled towards him. Elphaba cast a shockwave. It decimated two of the barbs and knocked him off his feet. The others passed over him. It bellowed it's fury and turned to her. She generated a wall of fire and pushed it at the Chiss. It backed up at the sight of this, growling deep in it's throat and plunged back into the sands. She dismissed the spell. "Is everyone alright," she said, keeping an eye on where the Chiss had vanished.

Fiyero stood up again. "That was a close one. I think we should go back the way we came." He turned and his foot fell again on empty air. The ground shifted and collapsed beneath him. This time Elphaba was too far away to stop it.

It was only a five foot drop but he hit the bottom hard and the wind was knocked out of him. He lay there for a minute, trying to recover his senses. The Chiss wasn't ripping into him at least nor did it seem to be near. He breathed easier and propped himself up on his elbows to look around. His hand brushed something jagged. He picked it up and held it into a lighter shade of dark. Eggshell, he realized after examining it. "Ah fuck me," he cursed his luck. Two fiery pinpricks of light suddenly stood out in the blackness. A keening wail arose and he slowly reached for the knife at his belt. The infant Chiss leapt at him as he pulled the knife free. It sank it's tiny teeth into his arm and the tip of it's tail grazed his side. He flung it loose but it quickly sprang back. This time it met his blade and was neatly sliced in two.

He pushed him self to his feet. "Fiyero! Are you alright," he heard Elphaba cry. She and Candle reached down to help him out. "You're injured," Elphaba gasped.

"It's nothing," he assured her. He wiped the blade clean.

They evacuated the forest and set up night camp what seemed a safe distance away from the wood. But none were too keen on remaining this close. A fire was built.

_It can't hurt worse than the diamonds, _Fiyero mused, turning the blade over and over in the flames. After some time of doing this he pulled it out and used it to reopen the bite wounds on his arm. He winced and gritted his teeth against the pain. _Okay, so yes, this is alot worse than the diamonds._ When he was finished, he let the knife drop to the ground. He lifted his shirt up and examined his side. It burned like it was on fire but was little more than a scrape.

Elphaba appeared at his side with a steamy cup of tea. "Here," she said, holding it out to him.

"Thank you," he said, accepting.

And she turned her wrath on Mother Yackle. "You knew about that thing and you couldn't warn us."

"I told you, I do not advise. The consequences of doing so can be dire," the old woman said, looking unconcerned. "But," she said after a pause, "we should probably keep an eye out for a Rak."

"What's a Rak," Elphaba asked.

But this time, Fiyero had an answer. "Fire demons. They come from the Shifting Sands. One of the few creatures that can survive in there."

Yackle nodded. "As does the Chiss. Rak are it's spawn."

"Oh, well, then it's okay then. I killed it in the pit," he told them.

"No, you fool, that was the Chiss's young. Rak are completely different altogether. They can take the shape of anything that walks or crawls. Be it human or animal. Once it has a target it is an unstoppable force and cannot be eluded."

"I'm glad we have you here to keep us calm," Fiyero told her.

Yackle ignored him and looked directly at Elphaba. "When it comes you must be prepared to fight, no matter what."

"You make it sound as though it's already coming. We don't know that," Elphaba said.

"It's on it's way," Yackle said with certainty.

Fiyero shook his head. "She won't have to be alone. Whatever comes at us, she knows I have her back."

Yackle gave him a pitying glance. "That will not be possible."

He frowned at her comment but she said no more on the subject. Elphaba shook her head at his expression. "She's half-senile. Don't give it much thought," she told him in a quiet voice.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right. There's nothing to be worried about. Because you were obviously right about going into the forest," Fiyero retorted.

She was visibly shocked by his outburst. He turned away from her and feigned sleep.

_(Author's note: The Chiss, Rak and Kalidah are all monsters from the original Oz novels but I have altered them to fit my vision but not much. The Chiss becoming like the manticore, Rak being like the Ifriit and so forth. Slight tweaking of the original concept. And so will I do with the Wheelers in a later chapter but they will be greatly changed becoming like the monsters from the Screamers movies, i.e. murderous part-human or Animal, part-machines)_


	10. Chapter 10

Fiyero took one look and the stream lying in their path and ran on ahead. He found the shallowest spot and waited for them to catch up.

"Elphie," he said, flashing a smile.

She sighed inwardly and decided to humor him. He took her arm and helped her cross. "Carefully," he cautioned, "it's slippery." He reached for Yackle.

"Do I look infirm," she barked at him, before making her own way.

Candle gave Liir and quick glance, as if expecting something but he ignored her.

"Gentleman, isn't he," Yackle sneered.

Fiyero rolled his eyes and held out his hand for her. "Come on, pretty girl," he coaxed. She blushed crimson and took it. He pulled her to the other side.

Chivalry brought consequences. His side suddenly pained him again. He stuck his hand there, hoping to stifle the pain.

"Are Chiss venomous," he asked Yackle.

"No, but I hear their sting can be extremely painful."

"So I am finding out," he said. He pushed his hand in harder. His chest began to ache, his ribs apparently still tender and now this was exaberated by the Chiss encounter. "I need to sit." He left the path. "I'll catch up," he told them. He sat down in front of a tree and leaned against it.

Elphaba stopped walking, letting the others pass. She told them to keep going. She sat beside Fiyero. "I haven't had a second alone with you in over a week."

He gave her a tired smile.

"You're not feeling well," she said, looking concerned.

"I'll be okay, that whole mess with the Chiss was too much, too soon. I just need to rest."

"Lay back, let me take care of you."

"You women and your damn molly-coddling," he said, but complied.

"Yeah, well, you're just going to have to suffer through it," she told him. "Oh, you're burning up."

He waved a hand dismissively. "It's a hot day. Mmm...that feels good."

She poured water from her bottle onto a small cloth and wiped his face with it.

He sighed blissfully.

She tilted his chin and wiped his neck and slid it down to the top of his chest.

"They're leaving us behind," he said after sometime.

"They won't get far. Just rest for awhile."

"I only needed a minute. Just long enough to catch my breath." He started to get up.

"Take it easy," she cautioned.

"I'm fine. I can handle it."

"Yero..."

"I said I can handle it!"

She drew back sharply, startled by his outburst. So was he, apparently.

"I'm sorry Elphie. I don't know what came over me."

"Well, don't you worry. I won't be trying to help you anymore."

His anger flared up again. He pushed past her, saying nothing.

Yackle halted, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. She turned to look back down the path. A chill wind rose on the air. She held her breath. A moment later, Fiyero and Elphaba came up the path, both looking angry. She touched finger to thumb and drew a circle in the air. He saw this and paused. His eyes met hers as she watched him with a wary expression.

* * *

Elphaba sat up abruptly, waking from a hideous dream, that had already been forgotten. But the effects remained. As she worked to steady her racing heart, she realized that Fiyero was thrashing about wildly in his sleep. He gave a wordless exclamation of fear. Had the same dream came to them both, she wondered. It was possible given the boding spell she had cast.

He woke up just then and immediatly jumped to his feet. Pale and shaking he was. She stood up and went to him.

"It's okay. It was just a dream." She touched his cheek with her fingers.

"There was fire and darkness," he gasped. "I felt evil."

This, she realized, she had felt to. So not everything had been forgotten. "I know. I had the same." She took his hand in both of hers and tugged gently.

"I felt evil," he repeated.

"Lay back down," she suggested.

He sat down but didn't look at all ready to go back to sleep. He was still breathing hard. She slid an arm around his shoulders. He flinched at her touch.

* * *

Fiyero didn't sleep the rest of the night, so shaken was he by the nightmare. He had taken his leave while the others were still waking.

The stream they had crossed had twisted around them and grown into a lake.

He glanced back over his shoulder to see if any had come looking for him. Not yet.

He lifted his shirt and examined the sting. His whole side had become inflamed. He touched the area tentatively, wincing as his fingers made contact.

He waded into the water.

But someone else had come down to the lake. Candle followed the winding path until she stumbled upon him. He was completely naked, a fact which stopped her in her tracks. She had never seen a naked man before. She gawked, unable to help herself. She quickly came to her senses and made to duck behind a tree, blushing fiercely.

Fiyero let the water rush over him. He resurfaced and pushed his hair from his face, slicking it back. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The air here was sweet. He treaded water and tried not to think of the dream, a near impossible task.

He felt evil. Not to say he had sensed it around him but that he had been the evil. Elphaba had no doubt misinterpreted this. He shuddered at the memory and dove back beneath the surface.

Candle found her way was blocked. A strange young man leaned ostentaciously against the tree trunk. "Enjoying the view," he drawled. She froze, quite unable to move. He leered at her. "I can give you a better one. You'd like that wouldn't you?" He licked his lips and took a step towards her.

She backed up and let out a thin cry. He jumped and looked to where Fiyero had been. So did Candle. But he had gone. The man laughed and advanced again. "Looks like it's my lucky day." He lunged forward, seizing her. He pinched her breast hard and all she could manage was a squeak. This seemed only to encourage him more. He pressed his mouth against hers and forced his tongue beneath her teeth.

Candle resisted, tried pulling away. But he was stronger. He slid his hand up her skirt and let out a shuddering moan. She lifted her arm and bit into the sleeve fabric, triyng to keep her sanity.

Then she saw Fiyero standing behind them. He had heard, or seen. Whichever didn't matter, only that he was here and could help her. But...why was he just standing there?

Fiyero felt a kind of perverse pleasue watching the scene unfold. He mentally shook himself. _What the hell is wrong with you? And you came up here to help. _He shot forward, rapidly closing the distance. He grabbed a handful of hair and snatched the guy's head back with a strength he barely knew he had. The guy's teeth clicked together.

Candle tumbled free and didn't need to be told to run. She did pause at the top of the hill and watched the scuffle bolew. Fiyero whaled on him for awhile, getting in several good punches before the guy fell over. "Have mercy," the guy pleaded holding up his hands in supplication.

_Mercy? Have mercy?_ Fiyero tilted his head and looked down at the man grovelling at his feet. _I was granted no mercy. Not when they beat me and left me to die._ He reflected on the hellish purgatory of the cornfield._ Mercy? I hardly know the word. _He kicked the cretin in the face, knocking him into the dirt. _For love. Over their supposed great enemy. A woman, who in truth, had sought only to liberate them. I'd die a thousand times over for her. _Fiyero drew his blade._ Defamed the noble house of Tigelaar. Destroyed my family. And you..._

In a fit of madness, Candle hurtled herself down the hill and grabbed the wrist that held the blade. Whatever the guy's faults he did not deserve death. And even so, Fiyero did not deserve to be a murderer.

Before he knew what he was doing he had thrown her to the ground and nearly turned on her. Maybe it was fear feeding her imagination but his eyes seemed to flash with an orange glow. He caught himself and flipped the blade and slammed the hilt on the the guy's skull.

Fiyero stared at his unconcious form for a moment. The rage that had come over him, he had never felt anything like it before. He was glad Candle had stopped him before he had done something unthinkable. He reached to help her up.

She hesitated to take his hand, still a little frightened.

The warm smile he gave her seemed genuine but there was something off about him. Back at the mauntery she had seen him beneath the Scarecrow features. And now...she wasn't sure what she saw. Something hidden just beneath the surface. But the moment passed. She took his hand and he lifted her to her feet.

"Come on. I need your help with something," he told her. She gave her attacker a worried glance. Fiyero shook his head. "Don't worry. He won't be waking up any time soon. Besides, I'll take care of him if he tries anything again." That strange gleam flared in his eyes again and now she was sure she hadn't imagined it. She took a step back. He gave her a confused look. "What's wrong?"

She stared at him, not sure what to say.

He smiled again. "I'm sorry. I got caught up in it. Men who want to take advantage of women...they just set me off. I didn't mean to scare you. But hey, you've been travelling with me for awhile. You ought to know I won't do anything to hurt you," he told her.

She considered and nodded. Maybe she was being silly, the trauma of her near-rape causing her to overreact. But still...there remained a seed of worry.


	11. Chapter 11

Fiyero turned away from Candle and went back towards the lake. "Come on," he called to her.

She followed him down.

He pointed out a plant that grew in clumps here and there around the lake. "This is called sweetsalve." He pointed to another. "Hex blossom. If you would, help me gather them."

Now she was giving him the blank look.

"It's for this sting. It's giving me a fit. Trust me, they'll help," he assured her.

He pulled up some of the hex blossom by the roots and washed the dirt off. He rummaged through his bag and produced a bowl. He crushed it with his fingers and squeezed liquid from the stems. She watched for a few minutes before starting what he had asked of her. "This will clean it. Just in case there is an infection. It stings like mad, you should know, before you go using it on yourself. But that's good. It means its working," he explained.

He leaned back and poured some over the affected area. He clenched his teeth as it worked it's way in. "Yeah, that's not something you'd likely forget."

She came with a small bundle of the sweetsalve. "Wash it like I did." He pointed to his bag. "There's another bowl in there. Get it and then find a rock to smash it with. Do that until it's a paste. Won't actually take that long." He paused then added, "Don't worry. I'll put it on. No reason to make you even more uncomfortable." He glanced back up the hill. Her erstwhile attacker hadn't moved yet.

When she came back with the bowl half-full of the paste, he took it and began spreading it all over his side. The relief was immediate and complete. "Ah, that's lovely," he sighed. He took out his knife again and she flinched. He pretended not to notice her reaction. _Great, now you've got her terrified of you._ He used the blade to tear his old shirt into strips. He tied them together into a long band and wrapped it around his middle. He slipped a fresh shirt over his head and stood up. "They'll be sick with worry by now. Especially with you gone too. We had better go." He gave the lowlife another glance, who seemed to be still out cold. "You go first. If he comes to, he won't be sneaking up on you. I can handle him if he comes after me."

_Okay_, she said silently.

* * *

"Why do I have to go," Liir protested, effectively raising his voice to a whine.

Elphaba bit back a remark. "Because she will recognize me and Fiyero. Candle, in case you've failed to notice, doesn't talk much. And Yackle...well she's Yackle."

"Damn right I am. That sort of task is far beneath me." The old woman gave Liir an appraising look. "But it may be too difficult for the likes of you."

He scowled at her but Elphaba cut him off before he could respond. "Remember, Nor? Sweet, pretty little girl at Kiamo Ko?"

"I know who she is!"

Elphaba took a deep breath, restraining herself again. "Just go and ask for an audience with Glinda. Find out what she knows about the girl's whereabouts. We have to stop this aimless wandering." He continued to look reluctant so she tried a different tack. "Look, Liir, this is important to him. I know he won't rest until he finds out. Please, do this for me," she implored.

With an exasperated sigh, he turned from her and took to the Yellow Brick Road, moving out of their lives at least for now.

* * *

Here there were no well-wishers, no ecstatic admirers. Here there was no Glinda the Good wearing a glittering gown. That person had vanished the moment she entered the cemetary.

Here there was just a girl named Galinda wearing a simple frock holding a small assortment of flowers. This was the only way she could think to honor them. Coming just as herself, given that she had been the least of them, and still lived and breathed.

She walked the grounds stopping here and there, looking at the stones, searching. She came to rest in front of the one reading Nessarose Thropp. She pulled a few faint wisps of baby's breath free. _How they called you Wicked, I'll never know. Was there ever another so pure and honest as you had been? _She lay the baby's breath gently on the grave. She kissed her fingers and touched them to the headstone.

She moved to the grave immediatly opposite. Elphaba's. _Oh, Elphaba, tell me what to do. I'm just winging it through everyday. I hardly know who I'm supposed to be. _Kneeling, she touched the earth almost caressing it. She bowed her head. _I never had your strength. Or your guts. Everything about me is a lie. More than the Lion am I a coward. _She stayed there for a long time but there were others that needed her attention. She pulled a single white lily from the bouquet and lay the rest down. She moved on.

Galinda weaved though the aisles, careful not to step on any of the graves. Finally, she paused in front of a set of four. A family. Sarima, beloved wife and mother. Irji and Manek, dear sons. And Fiyero, devoted father. _Oh_ _Whispers...how did it get so out of hand? _She sat down again, this time hugging her legs.

She wept unabashed.


	12. Chapter 12

_I sense there's something in the wind/That feels like tragedy's at hand/And though I'd like to stand by him/Can't shake this feeling that I have/The worst is just around the bend…_

"How is this even possible," Fiyero mumbled to himself, touching the place he had been stung. He leaned to the side stretching it out. It burned and felt sore but less so since he had been treating it with the sweetsalve tincture.

Yackle, of course, had the answer for him. "The Chiss is neither here nor there and both at once. That is why."

He rolled his eyes at her. "You're rambling, old mother."

"And you shouldn't even be here," she spat at him.

He sighed heavily and turned his back to her.

Elphaba was still awake and sitting up. Fiyero propped himself up one elbow and watched her. After a few minutes, she turned to look at him. "What is it?"

"You can't sleep, so what's on your mind?"

"Everything and nothing. Liir and Nessa. Our days at Shiz. All that time, that I thought I had lost you." She smiled and her whole face lit up. "I've been given a miracle and I never would have imagined it."

He made a sound that she couldn't quite make out. "Listen, Elphie, I should probably tell you something," he said with more than a hint of reluctance.

"What is it?"

He opened his mouth to say something and then seeming to think better of it, closed it again.

"Yero? Tell me..."

He hesitated again and looked up at her. "It's just that...I've been thinking about..."

She was getting a little irritated. "Just spit it out already!"

He sighed and appeared to make up his mind about something. "What Yackle said before about Nor. Maybe we don't actually find her and if we do maybe she won't be what I expected. Kiamo Ko needs a strong leader."

"Well that's certainly not Liir," she commented wryly.

He waved this off. "But what if it's not Nor either? My sons are dead. What if there's no legacy left to me?"

"Then we will ghost lead them."

He gave her an odd look when she said this and again seemed on the verge of saying something but remained silent. She dismissed it as confusion at her statement. "Put Nor and Liir on the throne for appearances only and from behind the scenes you and I will call the shots."

He considered it for a few minutes. "That might work. But it would only be temporary."

"True, but by the time we would have to step down we should have a worthy successor."

He shrugged and fell back into his thoughts.

Elphaba wandered in a strange dream. A heavy mist permeated about her and from somewhere lost in that mist a voice rose. "_No, I couldn't be happier," _they sang.

Whoever it was sounded vaguely familiar. Against her better judgement she followed. After all it was just a dream, she reasoned. If anything bad happened she would wake up.

_Though it is, I admit __the tiniest bit __unlike I anticipated."_

Her breath caught in her throat. It wasn't Turtle Heart! Couldn't be...

_"But I couldn't be happier, __simply couldn't be happier."_

_It was! _She gathered her skirt and ran forward, following the voice. Thank goodness, this wasn't one of those teasing, tormenting dreams where the thing you seek moves further and further away as you chase after it.

_"Cause getting your dreams i__t's strange, but it seems a __little - well - complicated..."_

She came upon the man, sitting there blowing glass, spinning it into marvelous shapes. She felt like a small child again, his actions and his mere presence here filling her with joy.

_"There's a kind of a sort of cost/__There's a couple of things get...lost/__There are bridges you cross __you didn't know you crossed __until you've crossed... "_

The bittersweet melody he sang tugged at her heart. She nearly wept from the beauty of it and from the joy of seeing him after so many years.

_"And if that joy, that thrill d__oesn't thrill you like you think it will, s__till.../__With this perfect finale t__he cheers and ballyhoo!, w__ho __wouldn't be happier?"_

He turned and gave her a smile that was sweet and sad at the same time. He held out a trinket of spun glass for her. It was shaped like a kitten, with markings of blue and gold. Delicate, it was. She held it close and tightly, lest she drop it and it shatter.

_So I couldn't be happier...," _he finished, fading away before her very eyes.

She woke suddenly, a tiny gasp escaping her lips. _Turtle Heart, another dear friend lost forever... _She sighed and turned to the other side, facing the fire. As she did so, something clinked against a stone. She stared at the object with a measure of shock. The little glass kitten...


	13. Chapter 13

_What will become of my dear friend/Where will his actions lead us then?_

Fiyero too was dreaming.

A graveyard at gray dawn. A young women with flowing white hair, dressed for mourning. Her voice clear as a bell as she drifted through the cemetary.

_"You were once my one companion, __you were all that mattered," _she sang in the growing light.

Nor's voice was filled with such sorrow it nearly eclipsed the beauty of it. Nearly but not quite.

_"You were once a friend and father, t__hen my world was shattered."_

He'd have given anything to reach out and touch her. Hold her, let her know everything would turn out alright.

_Wishing you were somehow here again, w__ishing you were somehow near_

Her voice was soft and soprano but clear against the silence that mostly prevailed.

_"Sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed s__omehow you would be here."_

Fiyero stepped closer, watching her make her way deeper inside the graveyard.

_"Wishing I could here your voice again, __knowing that I never would/__Dreaming of you won't help me to do __all that you dreamed I could."_

He followed behind, restraining himself not to do anything rash._ You want to help but all you'd do is make it worse for her, _he told himself.

_"Passing bells and sculpted angels, cold and monumental, s__eem for you the wrong companion, you were warm and gentle."_

He nearly lost his resolve just now. The unshed tears plain in her agonized voice. He stopped following and struggled to regain his composure.

_"Too many years __fighting back tears, __why can t the past just die!"_

Her voice had grown loud and strong and his doubts on her character and ability were erased. Here was someone worthy of the Kiamo Ko.

_"Wishing you were here again k__nowing we must say goodbye..."_

Her grief had altered her life, nearly shattered it. But the Tigelaar strength was apparent in her. A formidable enemy to his enemies, she would be. A worthy heir.

_"Try to forgive, t__each me to live, __give me the strength to try!"_

He couldn't help himself now, throwing caution to the wind he hurried to close the distance.

_"No more memories__, no more silent tears, __no more gazing across the wasted years."_

She dropped into a kneeling position and rested her head on the gravestone, weary and grief-stricken. Strong and elegant, like a lily touched by winter frost. Or perhaps sculpted in stone. Yes, that was truer to the point, he decided.

_"Help me say goodbye...__/Help me say goodbye!" _Her final words ringing across the empty landscape.

He came up behind her and kissed her hair where it was parted. _"Wandering child, __so lost __so helpless, __yearning for my __guidance," _he sang softly to her, to himself.

* * *

The words seemed to float on the air. Startled, Nor raised her head and looked wildly around her. "Daddy," she cried.

But there was no answer. The fleeting hope crushed, she withered to a shadow of her proud self. She dropped the flowers on his grave which was at her feet and walked away, feeling heavy with the weight of her grief.


	14. Chapter 14

_At this very moment in time, Glinda Arduenna was exactly thirty-six years, eight months, twelve days, six hours and seventeen minutes old. The Pie-maker had come bearing a gift of apple and sweet maple. As he came walked towards her with this marvelous confection, she gave him a look of longing that had absolutely nothing to do with pie. But again, this was not their story... _

Trism cursed his luck and his blind stupidity in trusting the girl. Called herself Trot, said she was from the Island of Jinx. She ransacked the room, robbed him and his partner while they slept and vanished into the night.

So he had gone to the Giddy Pixie, royally pissed off and rightly so, to confront her, only to find out that there was no girl on their bill called Trot and never had been. What's more even the description was unfamilar to employees and patrons alike.

He proceeded to drink himself back into oblivion.

Meanwhile, the girl who was not called Trot fled the village of Froticca, her purse considerably heavier.

Once she decided she was safely outside the village walls, Nor sat down and began to count her spoils. It wasn't much but it would buy her a warm bed and food in her belly for a few days.

She lay back in the grass and daydreamed. What if she really had been from Jinx? Those strange folk with their exotic features and exotic lives. Or perhaps from the land of Ix, where there were untold wonders? Or even, dare she say it, the strangest of all, that land called Kansas that the mysterious and powerful creature that called herself Dorothy hailed from?

Her thoughts wound to that subject. What sort of being was Dorothy? Her mind rationalized that some of the tale had been embellished as these things tend to be. But the facts remained. Dorothy had destroyed two witches and overthrown the wizard nearly by herself. Maybe the proverbial old wives gathered in a huddle by the window were correct. That she was, in fact, Lurline herself, returned to save Oz from tyranny.

If so, where was she now?

It was just like a diety to show up with pomp and circumstance, but then when you really needed them...

She dozed there by the roadside until pony-drawn wagon ambled by. She came immediatly awake. "Hey," she called to them.

The man at the reigns looked like the seedy sort but he was of the well-dressed variety._ Low-men in yellow coats_, she mused with a disgusted shudder. But he wasn't wearing yellow, more of a kind of blue. The concept was the same.

She tried to look as needy as possible as she rushed to meet him.

He gave her a look of barely disguised lust as his eyes roved her figure. "Where you headed," he drawled. His accent was horribly Gillikinese. It put her in mind of that dreadful Glinda.

"Where ever the road takes me," she said, trying to play coy.

"I have business in Traum," he told her.

"That's as good a place as any," she said, hoping in the back.

He chuckled and patted the empty space next to him. "No sense in you being in the back like some dead weight. Sit here, next to me, as a Queen rightly should."

She complied. She'd worry about it later if he tried anything with her. She could let him know real quick that she was no cheap road-side slut. She would let her knife do the talking for her.

"I'm Trot," she told him.

"Cap'n Bill," he said, simply. He coughed magnificently, spraying phelgm and spit all over the poor pony. Or Pony, as it soon was to make apparent.

"Shut your damn trap. No one ever told you to cover your mouth you miserable maggot," the Pony said viscously.

"And you never heard that Animals should be seen and not heard. I'll pull out your tongue for you. Turn you into glue," Cap'n Bill snapped back. He coughed again, setting the Pony off in a tirade of profanity.

Nor bit her lip and tried to make the most of the trip.

* * *

Crows over head. Vicious, nasty Beasts. Taunting her.

"That Nessarose, she was giving such a good speech about religious lessons, she really brought down the house," one of them cawed. Raucous laughter rang out among them.

Elphaba snatched up the first thing that she touched and leapt to her feet. She threw it at them. They flew up a few feet but settled back into the same branches.

Fiyero watched her with a slightly amused expression. She glowered at him. "Did you hear what they said? About_ my _sister?"

"Damn Crows, I hate them too, but then you already knew that. Not that it matters anyway." The second he said it he realized how it sounded. He nearly hit himself for her. Before Elphaba blew up at him he quickly added, "Not that Nessa's death was unimportant, I mean. The damn cretins! No death should be mocked."

Yackle could be seen in the distance, engaged in some odd ritual. Candle had watched her for sometime but was now on her way back.

Fiyero hummed a tune to himself.

"What's that," Elphaba said. It sounded vaguely familar.

"Oh, it's just something one of my nursemaids sang to me when I was a baby."

She gave him a funny look. "I thought you grew up in the grasslands with your tribe."

"_I did grow up there. _But until I was about five, I think, my mother kept me at Kiamo Ko. My father more or less kidnapped me one night after that birthday. If you can call it a kidnapping. Everyone involved knew it would happen and had the details all planned out. My mother and all her staff. Of course I had know idea."

"I love your voice. Sing it to me."

He made a face. "It's a silly little nursery rhyme."

"Yero," she said in a voice that let him not to argue anymore.

He sighed but did it anyway. _"I could while away the hours, conferrin' with the flowers…__Consultin' with the rain..."_

Candle came closer watching him.

_"Oh, I could tell you why the ocean's near the shore…__I would not be just a nothin' my head all full of stuffin'/My heart all full of pain/I would dance and be merry, life would be a ding-a-derry/If I only had a brain."_ He finished, flushing a bit, although with his dark skin it wasn't noticeable.

The girl smiled at the nonsense lyrics. She too, began to hum the tone but hardly had the nerve or the voice to join in.

"You're right it is silly," Elphaba said, her voice a little too harsh. She mentally kicked herself, and said more gently, "But some how with you singing it..."

But this only made him more irritated. He got up and left them. She watched him go, feeling irritated herself. Why all of a sudden was he so easily offended, she wondered. It made her feel both concerned and angry.

_

* * *

_

Author's note: Trot and Cap'n Bill are characters from Baum's original vision, for those who don't know. The song is of course from the 1939 movie, this being the second time I've used it in a fic for this site. For slash fanatics I'm trying to think of how lovers Trism and Liir will hook up in this alternate universe, though it may not happen in this fic. And yet another allusion to the infamous Pie-Maker...sorry couldn't resist. The amazing and beautiful Kristen Chenoweth shined in both canons, did she not?


	15. Chapter 15

Fiyero glanced back over his shoulder, catching a faint trace of smoke on the breeze. "I don't like being here," he told the others.

"Well that's you're own fault," Yackle remarked.

"That's not what I meant," he flared at her.

"What," Elphaba mumbled, lost on the exchange.

He looked back again. "There's something-"

"It's the rak," Yackle interrupted.

"Maybe. I smell something burning."

Yackle laughed. "Oh well, all that is the gates of hell opening for you."

He glowered at her. "None of what you say makes any sense. You're just a mad old bat."

"Fiyero," Elphaba cried, shocked by his outburst.

"Mad, you say? Well I say it takes one to know one," Yackle shot back.

"What the hell is wrong with you," Elphaba said, dragging him away.

"What's wrong with me? Oh, I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we've been wandering aimlessly for over a month and are no closer to finding my daughter. Or maybe it's that that little brat you claim is our son, has kept us waiting for almost half of that time. And oh, yeah, apparently there's a monster stalking us."

"Don't yell at me. I can be angry, too and you wouldn't like that very much," she challenged.

He scowled at her and shook his head. "Reduced to threats," he asked.

She slapped him. "How dare you!"

He touched the spot, his eyes growing darker. He looked ready to strike her as well, and a flash of red appeared in the once warm eyes.

She started at the sight of this. "What's happened to you," she said very quietly.

"Don't you know," he taunted. "Waiting around for you did it to me," he said, before stomping off.

She watched him go, still angry and more than a little confused. And perhaps a touch frightened now, by that strange gleam in his eye.

But Yackle wasn't finished with him. "You shouldn't be here," she hissed at him, snatching his arm as he tried to walk past her.

"Stop that! Do you really think I want to hear what you have to say," he spat back.

"And do I look like I care what you want to hear or not," she countered. "You will hear me," she asserted.

"Then say it," he said, his eyes glowing with rage.

Elphaba watched this play out, alarmed now. It was not like him to be given to fits of rage like this. That was her forte. What was happening?

"You shouldn't be here, either of you," Yackle told them, with a quick glance at Elphaba. "But you especially, it's been far too long and it's getting to you," she said, adressing him.

"What are you talking about," Elphaba cried, feeling completely bewildered.

The distraction was all that was needed for Fiyero to wrench his arm free. Without a look back he walked off into the fog that had risen up during the squabbling and disapearred from there sight.

Elphaba sat down right there and folded her arms looking like a petulant child.

* * *

"I'm sorry," Fiyero said. His eyes were large and sorrowful.

Elphaba felt a touch of bitter satisfaction at seeing his expression. She tried her best at ignoring him but he knew all the right places. He lifted her hair and kissed the back of her neck. He moved slowly around to the side as she struggled to repress a tremor of pleasure. He found that spot right there, the one that would drive her to the edge of madness and bit gently. She moaned, letting her eyes roll back.

He chuckled softly at the sound. He slid an arm around her middle. She moved her own around and entwined her fingers with his. He nibbled on her ear.

"Wait," she cautioned.

"It's okay. They've all gone. Just you and me now," he assured her.

"But-"

"Elphie, do you want this or not?"

"Oh what the hell, why not," she replied.

He gave her an amused look. "So romantic, you are," he teased.

She turned around leaning into his chest, letting him wrap her in his warmth. She adjusted her skirt in such away that if they were interrupted nothing would be seen.

They made love just like that, with her on top, both of them taking turns in the act.


	16. Chapter 16

At this very moment in time, Glinda Arduenna was exactly thirty-six years, eight months, fifteen days, twelve hours and twenty-four minutes old. The Pie-Maker for which she had secretly coveted had recently abandoned her. His affections cruelly purloined, he flitted off into oblivion with some Lonely Tourist. For now this is her story...

Her mood was low and currently there was naught that could lift her spirits. Lord Chuffrey sat at her side, nodding and drooling, while his young wife stared into space.

At the neighboring table, the bus girl sang as she wiped it down._ "No one mourns the wicked/No one cries they won't return..."_

Glinda tilted her head slightly, to hear the words better, still looking half-dazed.

_"No one lays a lily on their grave." _The serving woman went back to the kitchen.

_"And goodness knows the wicked's lives are lonely," _Glinda trilled in her wake. She looked over at her husband who seemed unaware of pretty much everything around them. _"Goodness knows the wicked die alone/It just shows when your wicked, you're left only on your own..."_

A single tear ran the length of her cheek. _"Goodness knows the wicked's lives are lonely/Goodness knows the wicked cry alone."_

Another young lady came, this one setting fresh glasses on the table. She summed things up. _"Nothing grows for the wicked, they reap only what they've sown..."_

Glinda sighed deeply and leaned over to wipe the drool from Lord Chuffrey's ancient chin.

* * *

As if to elaborate on Glinda's words, Elphaba woke in the early morning light, her limbs all tangled with Fiyero's. He was still asleep. At her movement he rolled away a bit. She sat up, startled to find that she was still naked. For some reason the rest of the group were nowhere to be seen. This concerned her a little but not much. She leaned over him and kissed his slightly parted lips.

He opened his eyes and looked up at her. "Hi," he murmured sleepily, with a slow smile.

"Morning," she replied, smiling as well.

He yawned and turned his head. His eyes closed again but he sat up.

"There's no one here," she said. "We can still mess around for awhile." She leaned forward, rubbing his shoulders.

He smiled at the concept and the feel of her touch. "We could." But the smile faded. "Look, Elphie...I have to go away for awhile."

She stopped rubbing. "Why?"

"Something I have to do. And Yackle's right, it has been too long."

His vagueness irritated her to no end. "Too long? You and her keep going on about that nonsense and I don't understand what any of it means."

"You will in time."

"No, I will right now, because you will explain yourself."

"I love it when you get angry, Elphie," he said softly.

But she was hardly in the mood anymore. She turned her back to him. Her anger smoldered for a beat but then mellowed almost instantly. She glanced back over her shoulder but Fiyero had already gone. She turned around again, searching for him. But there was no sign, not even far away. Her mind reeled, she had only turned her back for a second.

She met the others sometime later. Candle was feeding an apple to the donkey. Yackle sat crosslegged, apparently conversing with the tree that had provided the apple. Liir still hadn't rejoined them.

"Fiyero's gone," she announced. "I turned my back and he was just gone. I don't know what happened...," she said feeling helpless.

Yackle nodded sagely. "Tis a good thing my dear. Best for him. You'll see."

Elphaba stared her, hating her for being indistinct. But she was too tired to press it just now.

* * *

Nor stood at the edge of the Cloud Swamp, a circle of salt spread around her. She smoothed her skirt under her knees as she knelt in the dirt, careful not to let any part of her leave the circle. She lit a single candle and set it before her. She began to recite the incantation that the tribal woman had given her.

"Abbas, audite meus placitum. Pro smoke quod caliga, EGO dico vobis. Abbas, EGO postulo vestri sapientia. Ostendo mihi semita ut EGO may reperio meus via." She bowed her head and waited.

The ozmists grew restless. They paraded around her, trying to frighten and distract. She felt like bolting but the woman had been adamant that she stay within the salt circle. And it did seem to be keeping her safe. She repeated the incantation.

The phalanx of shades dissipated, banished by the sudden arrival of another. She kept her head low, at once joyful and terrified that she might see what she wanted to see.

"Nor," Fiyero answered.

She lifted her head. He looked solid, real and as if the last fifteen years had never happened. In fact, he looked scarcely older than her. She remembered he had only been twenty-three. "Oh daddy," she sobbed.

A wild thought occured to her, that somehow he had survived and by an odd turn of events and a miracle would remain twenty-three forever.

* * *

_Note: Nor's incantation is latin. I'll leave it to my readers to translate the text._


	17. Chapter 17

Tip recoiled in horror. A snake-like Wheeler slithered across the floor. A second tiktok monstrosity followed it, this one resembling half a panther among the mechanized body parts. It turned a dead golden eye upon him. He always hated being around the creatures. He shuddered and backed up a few paces. Mombi cackled as the boy stumbled backwards.

He staggered from the shack, in search of some task that needed tending, anything to be away from the clockwork horrors. A shiver ran down his spine at the memory of the panther's remaining organic eye.

A third Wheeler stood by the old well, looking formerly human. Those kind were the worst of the worst. Tip kept his eye on it as he walked by while it followed his progress.

He passed the slaughterhouse where Mombi spliced and diced living creatures and warped into her terrible children. A chill seemed to emanate from inside the building. Tip repressed another shiver and quickened his pace.

The well may have dried up, and with that _thing_ standing guard there, he certainly wouldn't be going near it, but there was a serviceable but archaic-looking water pump at the far edge of the property. Weeds were near to choking it. Tip fished a knife from his over-laden pocket and began to hack away at them. Once they were sufficiently cut back, he worked at the pump, filling the two buckets that had been left there. Slowly, painstakingly he carried the first to the doorstop and left it there before returning for the second.

Clickings and whirrings and a steady stomping grind turned the boy's blood to ice. He froze where he stood, afraid to move. He fingered the knife, which he only just realized was still in his hand.

When face with the prospect of potential death, some run, while others stand and fight. Tip proved to be of the latter variety. He whirled on his heel and lashed out with the knife. It sliced through flesh and vein. He realized too late that it was not the man-Wheeler but Mombi herself. The knife had slit her throat. No, he, Tip had been the one. Her eyes bulged and seemed to accuse. But then they turned dull and lifeless. She kept her feet for one, two, three beats as her life's blood spurted from the gaping wound. Then she collapsed forward, falling on her face. Tip jumped out of the way, lest she fall on top of him.

_She's dead_, Tip realized with a shock, feeling dumb. As if it hadn't been obvious. Emotions warred inside of him. Fear, misguided remorse and utmost a sense of relief and freedom But he allowed himself no time to rejoice. Free now of their mistresses' will the Wheelers might their murderous minds on the boy. He took one last glance at the fearful beasts before fleeing into the unknown.

However to the minds of Mombi's sinister creations, Tip was water under the bridge. Hardly worthy of their notice. To conquer and lay waste to all of Oz, now that was more to their devices. So when the boy fled, they let him past and retreated to the forest, biding their time and hatching their plans.

* * *

Nor moved as if in a daze. The conversation at the edge of the Cloud Swamp leaving her with more questions than answers. Fiyero wanted her to take back Kiamo Ko? How was that even possible? She was just a girl...

She brought herself back to reality and looked all about her. Lost in her thoughts she had wandered off...somewhere. A dark and foreboding looking wood. The ground was damp, in the makings of a marsh. She was loath to go any further.

A moment later an exhausted looking boy came spilling out of the woods. He was snarled up in some vines, and had to fight his way loose. Finally, wrenching free he fell to the ground and did not move.

Nor stared down at the boy who had fallen into her life. She pushed his immobile form over onto his back, the better to see him. Odd that she should feel so instantly drawn to this newcomer. He wasn't much to look at, after all. Younger than her, possible fifteen or sixteen, slightly effeminate, scrawny and half-starved, looking as though he had been through hell and back.

She knew a thing or two about assesing and treating injuries. She slid her arm under his shoulders and lifted his torso slightly from the ground. She wiped some of the dirt from his face. A soft sigh escaped from his lips at her touch.

She pulled away at his ill-fitting tunic, his sweat causing it to stick to his skin. She felt something there. A tight band. Possibly he had broken a rib or two in his flight and tried to treat it himself. But no, it was too high up for that to be true.

A ridiculous thought formed in her mind. She ripped the bindings loose and saw her suspicions comfirmed. She was holding a young woman in her arms. Someone, either the girl herself, or someone she knew was desperate to keep this hidden. But why and whatever for?


	18. Chapter 18

The Ferret raise up on it's hind legs and surveyed Fiyero. He pulled a biscuit from his satchel and offered it to her. She took it in her delicate paws and began to nibble at it, watching him like he was a snake that may strike at any time. A second Ferret joined them, a male this time, possibly her mate. They shared their treat.

The female warmed up to him, addressing herself as Kodo. The male said nothing and continued to watch him with suspicion. She spoke of the rak that had come tearing through, disrupting their lives and how they had escaped it's notice, being to small to draw it's notice.

"Where did it come from," he asked. "Whatever Yackle says, I know that they have to be summoned to Oz, otherwise they stay in the desert where they live."

"A terrible menace. I can hardly speak of it," Kodo said, covering her eyes with her tiny paws. "A six headed beast. They call it Blinkie, although that is hardly fitting considering the horror it unleashes."

"A six-headed beast named Blinkie," he repeated.

Kodo took this for disbelief at the absurdity of the name. She nodded her head gravely. "Terrible monster it is." She gave her companion Ferret a wistful look. "I call him Podo, after my first husband. But this one is just a ferret." She sighed to herself. "Still, one does what one must in these times."

He nodded, in complete understanding. "One does. Myself for example. I was travelling with a small company. But then came the time to leave so I did. And I can't stand to be on my own for long periods of time."

"Then why do it?"

"I've not been myself lately," he confessed.

"Are any of us truly ourselves at any time," she mused.

He arched an eyebrow. "Philosophy?"

"My grandda knew a thing or two about the meaning of things. Back before that horrid wizard swept in and mucked things up for everyone."

"Times are changing again. Hopefully for the better."

"One can only pray," she said, with a touch of regret.

Kodo and the ferret disappeared back into the bush.

"I might have known," Fiyero said, as he reflected on the brief but illuminating conversation. A six-headed beast called Blinkie. That was just typical of his luck. As a young child, Sarima had carried the nickname of Blinkie. And with her five sisters...he let out an irritated sound. Nothing like an angry dead wife to ruin his afternoon.

* * *

"Honey, I'm home," Fiyero announced. His voice rang through the nearly empty halls. Sarima whirled on him, looking furious. "You've lost weight," he told her, knowing it would incense her further.

She shrieked and threw a vase at him. He ducked and it smashed against the wall behind him.

"You're angry, I can tell."

She gave him a withering look and paused long enough to say, "Oh you think so? I can't imagine why. You just have no sense of loyalty."

He burst into laughter at her remark. "Oh, that's rich, coming from the woman who tried to bed me with her younger sisters."

Her eyes blazed and he nearly smiled. Oh, she was working herself up into a nice fury.

"It's hardly the same thing," she screeched. "You abandoned us, ME! For that green bitch."

"You behave like a child. You're doing it right now! All over you're wounded pride."

"How dare you turn me into the bad guy here?"

"And you're not? No, you've just been plaguing us with demons."

"No one told you to go gallavanting around with-with...her!"

"If you wouldn't act like this maybe I wouldn't have had the affair in the first place."

"Oh that's right! My fault again." Another flying vase. _Where was she getting them from_, he wondered.

"Dispatching monsters and demons is not the way to solve things. There are others travelling with me, people that have nothing to do with you and me."

"How else was I supposed to get your attention?"

"What? This whole thing was about attention? Oh, you really are a child," he said, amazed by her callowness.

"Whatever, I don't know what you're so worked up about. My Rak is wasting precious time and the Chiss hardly had the guts to face all of you."

"It must really irk you that your coup failed...again. Just like you tried to trap me, you and your wonderful sisters."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't," he retorted, with considerable exasperation. "I'm leaving now. I don't want to see you ever again. And if you know what's best, you'll leave this place too." And then he was gone.

Sarima wandered in the lonely halls for long afterward, singing a soft, sad song to herself, "_Don't wish, don't start..."_

Her voice echoed in the empty wings. "_Wishing only wounds the heart."_

She paused at a stained glass window, the image of Lurline etched into the glass._ "There's a girl I know…He loves her so."  
_

She gazed through a pale section looking out into the world beyond._ "I'm not that girl."_

And so Sarima resigned herself to her fate. If any had been there to watch they would have seen her vanish into nothing, as if she had not even existed.

* * *

Note: What else would I call two ferrets, but Kodo and Podo?


	19. Chapter 19

Nor was doing her best but it was a constant trial. She took to calling the girl Scraps. This was due to her ragged, tattered garb but also that the poor thing's mind had completely shattered. She wouldn't speak and it was only after vigorous nagging that she could be persuaded to eat. Mostly she just sat and stared off into space.

There was one thing that Nor marveled at though. The girl's hair had been cut ridiculously short, no doubt to add to the pretense of masculinity, but now it grew at an alarming rate. Hardly a day had gone by but it's length had already increased by a good five inches or so. She found it rather lovely, the way it curled gently, and especially its rich, dark color. Almost black but not quite. She couldn't help but touch it from time to time.

There was also a way about her, this intrigued and infuriated Nor to no end. The little patchwork girl tugged at her heart. The ridiculous creature could hardly feed herself, forget making her way in the world! Why did she waste her time?

Still, the concept of abandoning Scraps was nearly unbearable...

She lifted the already half-empty bottle of rum to her lips and stood on wobbly legs. She told Scraps, "And if I ever see the bastard who did it, I know what I'm going to say." She hiccuped and the other girl watched her without expression. "I'll tell him, 'My name is Illianora Tigelaar. You killed my father. Prepare to die." She held a blade out in front of her, to elaborate on her intentions. It was one that she had lifted off of the lecherous Cap'n Bill. And then she staggered forward. And it clattered to the floor as she went. She collapsed on the bed next to Scraps.

Morning arrived and with it penance for her indulgence. Nor moaned, clutching her pounding skull. Scraps sat very still, in the same place that she had been all throughout Nor's frivolity. It was as if she hadn't moved at all.

She chewed on some willow bark. Fiyero had taught her that it was good for pain relief, a lifetime ago. Though it was unlikely that he had ever imagined her using it to nurse a hangover.

Scraps turned her head slightly, as if achieving some vague awareness of the world around her. Nor found herself captivated again. She reached up and brushed back a dark curl.

Nor leaned on Scraps' shoulder and willed at the willow bark to start working. But it was being stubbornly slow-acting. Or maybe it was the pain that made it seem like it was taking forever. The other girl flinched at her touch.

Tip shuddered and crossed his arms. He felt something odd in the process. He lifted his shirt, exposing his chest.

Nor blinked, startled by Scraps' lack of modesty. She pulled the shirt back down and wrestled with the other girl to keep it from happening again. It was one thing in the private room but if she went around doing that sort of thing in public...After all, the poor thing wasn't quite all there.

Tip didn't know what to say. This was certainly unexpected. He spoke in a halting voice. "Tip...is girl?"

Nor stared at Scraps with incredulity. "Yes, Tip is girl. Nor is girl too but I'm not showing you mine just yet." She crossed her arms in much the same way. She sighed and affected a gentler standing. "So, you're name is Tip?"

"Old woman call me Tip."

"Okay." She flipped her braid and held it for Scraps, preferring that name, to see. "You want me to fix your hair like this?"

Tip considered. She looked inquisitively at the other girl. "Is nice?"

"I hope it will be," Nor told her. "Do you know why the old woman wanted you to pretend to be a boy?"

"Tip not know. Tip afraid. Always afraid. Old woman make monsters. Tip thought was boy."

"But _why?"_

"Tip not remember." She began to get agitated.

Nor held out her hands in submission. "Okay, sorry. I'll let it go. But you're so beautiful, I can't imagine why she would make you hide it like that." She touched Scraps' cheek and felt a hot rush of emotion. She pulled her hand back, like she had been burned. Maybe she had. She felt highly unnerved.

Scraps' eyes clouded and it was as if she were seeing something that wasn't there. She slid off the bed and went forward, moving stiffly, almost like a zombie. "I see blood and destruction. Our elimination because of one man. Blood and destruction because of one man," she said in a strange tone. It had a faint singsong quality to it but seemed mostly dead.

Nor stared at her uncomprehending. She slid from the bed and went to fetch Scraps. "Okay, blood and destruction, sounds terrible. But its not really our problem is it now?"


	20. Chapter 20

Nor paced back and forth on the steps outside the Wizard's Palace, though she guessed it was Glinda's Palace now.

Scraps sat a few steps down and was playing a game with some old rag dolls. "Miss Malina speaks out of turn. She's a bad example, and will have no cakes tonight," she said, to no one in particular.

"That's okay, Scraps," Nor said in what she hoped was a soothing voice.

The door opened and who should come to her escort, but Trism bon Cavalish. She drew herself up proudly in anticipation of a confrontation. Fortunately, his sense of propriety outweighed his wounded pride. He gave her a stiff bow and said, "Lady Arduenna will see you now."

She declined to curtsy and turned to Scraps to say, "Stay here, don't move and don't talk to anyone." And then she entered into the palace.

Glinda stood in the hall, surrounded by servants and various heads of state. Presently, she waved them away. Nor paused, having had no idea that she would receive her undivided attention.

"Oh dear," Glinda said in a high voice, "Some one was just here, asking about you and where you might be."

"Who," Nor asked her.

But Glinda was busy studying her face. "Oh just some boy. His name escapes me but it couldn't have been two days ago," she said vaguely. She stepped closer and boldly took hold of Nor's chin, turning her face this way and that. "Oh dear," she repeated. "You do so look like him. Although he had the most marvelous dark skin, and you are as pale as milk."

Nor stepped back, giving her a defiant look, and Glinda looked mortified.

"Oh, I am sorry. That was remiss of me. I could not help myself. For my part, I was quite fond of Whispers. We all were, even that dreadful Avaric," Glinda told her, now looking reflective. "Though he probably wouldn't admit it." She sighed and looked close to tears. "It was such a sad affair, what happened to your daddy. And he was so young. You know, they never found the body but I here there was so much blood in that little apartment..."

Nor nodded stiffly. A lump seemed to form in her throat but she would not allow herself to cry in front of this woman.

Glinda continued on, "Yes, you would know that I'm sure. Everything went downhill from there. Everyone I mean. Tibbett died in the Mauntery, just after your father. The poor thing, he never recovered from that business at the Philosphy Club, thouugh I can't say what that business was. Elphie and I had audience with the wizard that very night, and then she of course disappeared afterwards. I saw her once recently." She fell silent for several minutes.

She began to walk and gestured for Nor to follow her. "But enough about all of that. I'm rambling, I feel like an old biddy going on about the good ol' days," she said, with a little laugh.

Then she looked back at Nor, sober at once. "There must be something you want. After all that's why most come to visit me. Seeking aid, and requests. My lot as a leader, though I thought there would be more to it somehow." Under all the sugary sweetness there was bitter resentment.

"I've just come for information," Nor said.

A Munchkin girl offered a tray of refreshment. Glinda plastered on a vapid smile and accepted a small tart. "I'm afraid that these are not as delightful as they once were. We have a new Pie-Maker." Again, there was the bitter undertone but this time Nor could not fathom the meaning. "But you are welcome to help yourself," Glinda added.

Nor declined and they walked on.

"What sort of information?"

"Kiamo Ko," Nor told her without preamble.

Glinda stopped and appraised the girl. "That's not information, that's a castle," she said fondly.

Nor took a deep breath and pressed her case. "You are the interim ruler of Oz. My grandfather toiled and fought and claimed it for his line. It is my birthright," she asserted. She lifted her chin and fixed Glinda in her steely grey gaze, though inside she was ready to bolt.

"Oh my," Glinda said, tilting her head slightly and smiling a bit. "Look at you, a proud little Queen." But her tone was sincere rather than mocking. She reached out and brushed an errant lock of hair from Nor's shoulder, looking almost maternal in her fit of tenderness. "Whispers would be so proud of you. I can arrange this for you. For him. I've no doubt he would wish it for you. And we can get started on the affair of your marriage immediatly."

"What! Marriage?"

"Oh come now, there is no need for histrionics. Marriage is a necessary evil for we of the fairer sex if we want to make something of ourselves in this world. Surely you have realized? Oh now, don't look all flustered, Sweetness. There are many men out there in the Vinkus that will be looking to scale your palace walls and Love, I don't just mean Kiamo Ko."

Nor blushed at the analogy but did not back down. "I can take care of myself. I broke out of the Southstair didn't I?"

Glinda waved her hands to hush her. "Don't say that around here. They'll have your head and mine as well," she hissed. And then she shook her spangled and bejeweled head. "Dearest, look, I meant no offense. I am sure you are quite capable. But you are also very young and still don't understand. Men can be quite wicked."

Nor thought of Cap'n Bill and his advances. But said nothing of it.

So Glinda went on, "You need a strong male figure at your back or else they will eat you up."

There was a commotion a the front of the hall and Nor suddenly remembered Scraps.

Now, the girl was certainly making herself known. Nor flushed bright red at the scene before them. Scraps had wandered in apparently and was harrassing one of the servants to play some mad game with her. She began to wail and have a fit when they wouldn't join in. Nor lifted her skirts and rushed to her side.

Nor held her as she rocked and wailed and sobbed. She made soothing noises to Scraps, hoping that soon she would calm down.

Glinda made her way over, looking curious and a trifle offended at the fuss.

"I'm naming all the stars," Scraps said, after she had settled down.

"You can't see the stars, love," Nor told her, stroking her hair and glancing upward. "That's just the ceiling. Also, it's day."

"I can see them," Scraps protested, her voice going up an octave. Nor braced herself for a fresh out burst but Scraps just relaxed and rambled on. "But I've named them all the same thing, and there's terrible confusion..."

"Well, then I'll just have to help you think of new ones for them, won't I?"

"Who is she," Glinda whispered, peering down at the two of them.

Nor shook her head. "I don't know. I just found her a few weeks ago." She kissed Scraps on the hair, cheek, lips and continued to rock her back and forth.

Glinda came around to the other side to get a better view. Her face suddenly went pale. "_Oh sweet Oz, _it's Ozma," she gasped.

But Nor didn't look up at her, she just kept working trying to keep Scraps from flying off the wall again.

* * *

Note: Next chapter I promise, we will return to Elphaba and she will battle the rak


	21. Chapter 21

The rak had begun its life among a tribe of Ghost Leopard. And then the Chiss had come, bringing fiery death. The others had either perished in the ambush or fled from it. This particular one had been wounded and near death when it had undergone the hideous transformation.

It proceeded to hunt down and destroy the survivors.

Now, it haunted the shadows. The time for waiting was over.

Elphaba felt a deep sense of forboding. The smell of burning flesh was rife.

Like some hellcat, the rak burst from the black nothing. Dark as night and wreathed in flame, it was much larger than she had anticipated. She quailed a little. But that wouldn't do. So she stood her ground and cast the obvious spell, despite herself. A wave of water.

This would be easy, she presumed. But it was a wrong assumption. The rak laughed at her. The sound was disarming and instead of being quenched, the flames leapt higher.

That wasn't supposed to happen, she thought dumbly.

"Fan the flames," Yackle cried.

Elphaba looked around at her, thinking, not for the first time, that the old bat had lost her mind.

The rak seized the oppurtunity but she was quick to correct herself. She narrowly evaded it's grasping claw.

"Fan the flames," Yackle repeated.

Oh right, make it worse while I'm at it, Elphaba seethed. The heat was stifling. She wondered whether she could do this. All around them plants and shrubs caught fire. The rak lashed out with a plume of flame.

She began preparing another water spell. Yackle barreled into her and shook her. "Fan the flames. Fan them I say. You had better listen to Mother Yackle now."

Candle hung well back and wondered if this was the time for that.

The rak sliced the air with deadly claws. Elphaba ducked and pulled Yackle down with her. But it's attack was not without consequence. Her hat was torn to pieces.

"Fan them, you ninny. Do it and it will burn itself out," Yackle hissed at her.

"Fine," Elphaba snarled back. Wind. Another tornado. A tempest. A gale, Elphie thought with some irony. She conjured a powerful tumult.

The rak panicked, sensing her intent. It flung itself at her, an unwise choice, and decreased it's lifespan significantly. The windstorm smashed into it and swept it up.

It's howls and bellows could be heard from inside the spiraling vortex. The flames reached skyward and were sent spinning. Indeed, the twister had become a whirling inferno.

A final, desperate howl rose from the tornado's heart, expressing profound agony. It was followed by a grating whine. And then there was an explosion. Everything went white.

Stars danced before her eyes. Elphie tried to stand but fell right back over. She sat there for awhile, recovering her senses. Finally, she was able to stand and then brushed herself off.

The rak was gone having immolated itself. Burning bits of it peppered the landscape though. Her windstorm was disipated too, probably vanishing in her brief loss of conciousness. She realized, with some shock that, Candle and Yackle had disappeared as well. Were they injured? Dead? She searched the area frantically for the two of them but was soon distracted.

Something else was coming. She couldn't see it yet but she heard it's approach. Snappings and crumblings as vegetation and earth were crushed. Her mind summoned images of a terrible juggernaut. _Oh what fresh hell is this?_

But it was something far less sinister. She reconsidered her last thought. More sinister, she decided. The Clock of the Time Dragon. But it was clearly alone. No Dwarf, no boy in sight, not even a wagon to pull it. Perhaps it had evolved self-sufficiency. And she thought of Nessa.

The sculpted dragon that rested atop pivoted on it's axis and pointed a single claw. Not at her, but slightly to the left and past her. She turned to see.

Fiyero stood there watching her. She furrowed her eyebrows. "How long have you been..." But she decided it didn't matter. She watched him for a minute. It had hardly been a week since they parted, but it was so wonderful to see him again. She lifted her hands and laughed softly and he smiled in return.

They met and embraced and he kissed that spot on her neck. She felt suddenly she would die from the pleasure. She pulled back a bit and started to say something. But before she could he told her, "Look. It seems there is a show just for us, turn around and watch."

"What?"

He put a finger to her lips and whispered, "Just watch."

She gave him a puzzled look but allowed herself to be turned around. Then he did an odd thing. He wrapped his arm tight around her middle and grabbed hold of her wrist. She suddenly felt caged in and resisted. "What are you-"

"Elphie, just watch." He tightened his grip. She struggled to free herself. "Watch," he repeated with some urgency.

Her eyes were drawn to the Clock as a scene began to play out. She stopped resisting and found her attention riveted. A minute passed and she raised her free hand to her mouth. "No! No! It can't be!" She fought wildly against his grip but he held her fast.


	22. Chapter 22

It only took a minute for Glinda Arduenna to show her true colors. "Leave us," she barked harshly at the guards who had rushed to their aid. The second they had gone she turned on Nor. "So I suppose this was your plan all along?"

Nor gave her a blank look. "What?"

"You damn little upstart. How dare you toy with me? Bringing some little waif in here. Into _my_ palace. Parading her around as the rightful heir."

Nor glared at her. "_You_ said she was Ozma, not me." But Glinda had seemed to have forgotten that part.

"Something you no doubt picked up from your mother. Whispers would have never been so presumptous."

"But I didn't-"

But Glinda was on a role. "And to think that I let you charm me."

"Will you shut up," Nor cried before she could stop herself. But she looked instantly alarmed at her own outburst and as though she expected Glinda to strike her. Scraps shivered in her arms and Nor made to soothe her again.

"Well have out it. Explain yourself then."

"I came to discuss Kiamo Ko and that's it. This is someone that I found in my travels. Ozma or not, I don't care. She is precious to me and I couldn't bear to lock her in my hotel room."

"So am I supposed to believe this is mere coincidence," Glinda said stiffly.

"Some ruler she will make, she can hardly dress herself in the morning," Nor said, but not unkindly.

Glinda softened and was once again all smiles. The shift was so abrupt that Nor was shaken by it. "Well she does certainly look like Tippetarius whether its true or not," she said after some consideration. "She cannot be seen or there will be a revolt. After all, this is what the masses are clamoring for."

Nor raised her head, alarmed. "Wait, the guards they saw..."

Glinda paused and turned quite pale. "Oh dear, I think you are right. And I sent them away. Oh dear, I may have made this mess for myself," she said, fretting. She gave Nor a slight accusatory look. "I am still not convinced that you didn't plan all of this."

Nor shrugged, not sure what to say. Certainly it would look like that to Glinda, that she was here to usurp the throne. "Really, I just wanted my father's fortress."

Glinda snorted. "Well too late for that now. The story of the Ozma's return is probably half-way to Quox by now." She flounced away.

Scraps lifted her head. "Glitter lady is angry."

"Oh don't worry about her. She's a silly old thing. Not much she can actually do or she would have." Nor helped her stand. "Do you like it here? Maybe you'd like to bring Miss Malina along and the two of you could live here for awhile."

Scraps scanned the great hall with her beautiful, dead eyes. "All cold and dead. Tip remembers. Terrible man fell from the sky. Everything wash in red. Take Tip away to Old Woman. Tip cry but no one hear."

"Yeah I know. But he's gone now. Gone far away. And he won't be coming back." Nor smiled to herself. "I won't let him." She kissed Scraps on the forehead and held her close.

_What will happen now_, Nor wondered. She had come to barter for her legacy and through Scraps she had gained all of Oz. Hardly what she had envisioned this morning. But it was true, she did not care if Scraps was the Ozma. She just knew she couldn't leave her.

She wondered what Fiyero would think.

Glinda returned a moment later. She said, "Follow me," briskly and then she swept away.

Nor told Scraps to stay where she was and hoped that she would actually do it this time.

A man stood ostentatiously in the doorway. He deflected an air of superiority. She already hated him.

"Master Avaric Tenmeadows," Glinda announced. "This is-"

"Illianora," Nor lied. Another fake name, but close enough to the truth. Besides she had reinvented herself so many times after her escape from the Southstair, what was one more?

"Right," Glinda said, sounding a bit short.

"Walk with me," he told Nor. He flicked his wrist at Glinda as if to say she was dismissed.

She bristled. "This is my castle," she said, affronted.

"Is that right?" Avaric proceeded to act as though she didn't exist. "I hear that you are the one who found our little Ozma."

"That is what you say."

He eyed her shrewdly. "What do you mean by that? That is not an answer."

"I have no proof of who she might be. Neither do I care."

He shrugged. "No matter. No matter. That is to say that it does not matter if she is or not. What will matter is that the people will believe she is Ozma."

"But-"

He laughed. "Politics, my dear. Something you know little about, if anything. It's not about aptitude, it's the way you're viewed." He paused and gave her another long searching look. "I must admit, you do look familiar. Is it possible we may have met, before?"

Glinda held her breath. After all, Nor could be considered a fugitive.

But Avaric snapped his fingers. "The Giddy Pixie. You were a bar maid."

Glinda relaxed and Nor gave him a small nod. He smirked. "My, my, ambitious aren't we?" But he went on without allowing her to answer. "Reminds me of someone I knew, once, years ago. A Winkie, of all things."

"Oh dear," Glinda moaned. She closed her eyes, dreading what was coming.

"Played at being a Sophisticate. Called himself a prince." He snorted. "But of course, everyone knows that Winkie's are blood-thirsty savages, the lot of them." He chuckled to himself. "Still it could have been worse. He could have been a Quadling." He laughed heartily at this.

"Vinkus," Nor hissed through clenched teeth.

"Oh, right. I suppose that is the politically correct term. But it's not as if anyone gives a toss."

Glinda shook her head and Nor kept her mouth shut while Avaric went on making an ass of himself.

"Anyway the fool got himself caught up in things that were too big for him and got himself killed for it. Lynched, beaten, dragged away never to be recovered. Was a shady business. Atleast that's what the rumors say. Well, I say 'Serves him right.' Meddling in affairs that are none of his concern. You'd do well to learn by his example, young lady."

"Oh my, well, this is certainly been lucrativious," Glinda said, breaking in. She took hold of Nor's hand and started to lead her away.

But Avaric stopped her. He wore a self-satisfied smirk. He lowered his voice, but not enough to spare Nor. "I think I may have made some leeway. She's gone over quite pale, you may have noticed. No doubt she will be having second thoughts of proceeding with this coup."

Glinda turned red in the face. "Oh you are a boor," she spat at him. And she whisked Nor out of sight.

The room they retreated to was hardly more than a broom closet. "Oh dear, if I had known he would go on like that about Whispers, I never would have...But that's Avaric for you. Always been that way, even when we were kids. _Especially _when we were kids. Dry your tears now. You don't want them thinking you weak. Quick with it now. I'm not saying this to be harsh but it's a dirty business and you need to grow a thick skin. Believe me there are worse ones out there and they will all be out for your blood, Love."

"But he was talking about my father," Nor said

"I know. I know but all the same."


	23. Chapter 23

_Her eyes were drawn to the Clock as a scene began to play out. She stopped resisting and found her attention riveted. A minute passed and she raised her free hand to her mouth. "No! No! It can't be!" She fought wildly against his grip but he held her fast._

She knew what was coming before it even began...

She recognized it from her childhood. The Clock had brought untold grief to her life as well as her mother's and father's lives. A light switched on inside of it, illuminating the backdrop. A small figure appeared, it's synthetic body peppered with blue, painted like a jester but the effect was sensual rather than comical. She glanced up at Fiyero and touched a finger to one of the diamonds on his face. But he was intent on what the Clock was showing.

His puppet-likeness could be seen stoking a fire before turning towards the bed. Shadows danced in the tiny setting. Like story-book demons some of the shadows broke free and converging on him. There was a very real looking spray of blood. Elphaba tore her eyes away. "That's not what happened! No!" She felt him holding her against himself, restraining her still. "You're here," she cried, more to herself than him. She began to fight again.

"Elphie, it's okay. Whatever you see, whatever it shows you, has already happened," he said, softly.

"It's not what happened," she protested, feebly.

"Just watch, it'll be okay. I promise," he told her. His hold on her became tender, now more comforting than restraining. She relaxed a little herself.

The Clock carried on, indifferent to her pain. The scene shifted. And it was a tiny caricature of her. Facing a diminutive Dorothy, thrusting a burning broomstick at the girl. That gave way to panic as the Witch's own dress went up in flames. In a misguided rescue attempt, the girl threw a bucket of rainwater.

Elphaba hid her face on Fiyero's shoulder. "No," she whimpered.

"Shh...," he told her. He stroked her hair. "Come on. One more thing. We have to go through."

"No," she repeated, digging in her heels and becoming defiant again.

But he only smiled at her and said, "Trust me."

She did. She sighed and struggled with herself once more. But she allowed him to lead her through the Clock which had become as insubstantial as mist.

* * *

Nessarose was hardly prepared for what transpired. Poor Elphaba was so stricken with shock and terror. _And probably self-pity_, Nessa thought, loftily. It was a typical reaction to this situation, she supposed. Though she had only experienced rapture.

"You lied to me," Elphaba cried, pushing him back with both hands. Her voice was full of hurt betrayal.

"Elphie, listen to me," he said gently, stepping towards her again. "I had to. Oh, Elphie, you don't understand."

She turned her back, still overwhelmed with the shock of all this. _It couldn't be real, it just couldn't._

"It hurt you so. I couldn't stand it. I had to do something."

"But you were never the Scarecrow." It was almost an accusation.

"No," he admitted. He looked away as if ashamed. "It-," he began, but the words seemed to catch in his throat. He looked skyward and attempted at speech again. "I did it for you. You wished I were the Scarecrow. That I would becoming back to you...You wanted it so badly. I just- I wanted to give it to you."

"Yero...I wanted so to save you..."

"I know," he said quietly. "I know. You told me not to follow you and I did anyway. You told me to stay away and I couldn't. I went back to your loft."

"Don't," she protested. "Don't say it." She could not bear for him to apologize for the circumstances of his death.

Nessa watched with an intense curiosity. She felt a trifle out of bounds for eavesdropping thus. But surely she was in plain sight. She reasoned with herself that that would make it alright.

"And I walked those stairs to your flat a million times over. They came for me again and again. Beating me and then hiding me away. I repeated the incident over and over in an endless loop, as so many shades are rumored to do. You can ask me of hell, I can speak of madness because I have known both. I couldn't break free. And then I heard you cry my name. So you see...Elphie, you did save me."

"But I would have spared you the pain," she whimpered.

"And I would have you. But none of that matters now. It's over. It's in the past. We got through the hard part and now it's just us. And we have all the time in the world."

"So this whole thing never happened?"

"Oh it happened. Parts of it at least. The demons, Yackle included," he chuckled at this but she didn't share in it, so he went on, "Candle was real, I think...but Liir and the Mauntery...I'm pretty sure that was part of your fantasy. And Nor...," but he didn't finish his thought.

"But why?"

He never answered her because at that point, Nessa walked toward her sister, spreading her arms (now that she had them) in a welcoming gesture. She smiled, magnanimously. Elphaba seemed to notice her for the first time and broke away from Fiyero.

And then he seemed on the verge of coming apart himself. He collapsed to his knees and grabbed hold of Elphie's hand.

Nessa stopped and gave him a disdainful look. She sighed and looked away. _Oh these two, with their superfluous hysterics. Why must they try my patience, _she thought.

"Fifteen years. I couldn't break free. I thought it would never stop. And then it was so hard. The Other Land kept pulling at me. But I couldn't leave yet. I had to finish things. The strain was eating away at me and now it's finally over."

Elphie knelt in front of him. She touched her forehead to his. He sobbed unashamed as his burden dissolved.

A flash of intuition. Nessa came forward and put her hand on his head. "Yes it's over," she gushed. "Here there is only peace and beauty and joy. Out there you have struggled." She looked at her sister but kept her hand where it was, and spoke to them both. "And you have suffered. The Unnamed God knows. He has seen your troubles." Tears welled in her eyes as the religious fervor swelled in her bosom.

Elphaba literally bit her tongue to restrain herself against the blatant zealotry.

"_He knows_," Nessa asserted. "You are weary and here you can lay those troubles down."

Fiyero sobered up and gave Elphaba a look, as to say, _She's your sister. _And she held her breath in order not to laugh.

But Nessa was on a roll. "For here there is naught but bliss."

"Oh dear, I think we have gone to hell," Elphaba murmured.

"What," Nessa asked, shaking out of her litany.

"Oh I was just saying that you look well."

Nessa blushed. "Thank you, Elphie."


	24. Chapter 24

_"Daylight...See the dew on the sunflower and a rose that is fading...Roses whither away/Like the sunflower, I yearn to turn my face to the dawn/_  
_I am waiting for the day . . .,"_ Candle sang in her soft, barely there voice. She looked over at Yackle. "Where are they," she whispered.

The old woman snorted. "Not for us to know. Not yet, least ways. Fret not though. The Wind will be coming to take you soon enough."

* * *

He visited upon her one last time before leaving Oz for good, though she did not know. It was the dead of night and she was caught in a deep sleep. She was curled around the Princess Ozma, their limbs entwined. Her devotion was apparent.

He stood in the shadows watching her sleep. "Look at you. The whole of Oz at your hand." His voice broke a little. "Beyond my expectations, but then why should I be surprised?" He did not linger. He couldn't. Besides he was finished here and Elphie was waiting for him.

Nor sat up, waking suddenly from a vague dream. "Is someone there," she called into the darkness. She reached to turn up the oil lamp.

Scraps stirred and sat up too. She gazed at Nor with bleary eyes. _"Sunlight, through the trees in summer, endless masquerading/Like a flower as the dawn is breaking...the memory is fading," _she sang to herself.

Nor watched her. "That was lovely, where'd you hear it?" Not that she really expected an answer.

"The Cat. She waits at the door. Pawing and clawing. 'Now,' she tells them. 'Now, now!' They are coming. See, how he lights the fire and does not see. And he is no more. Gone, gone forever. All for the price of milk."

Still half asleep, Nor tried to make sense of Scraps' rambling. She felt that these outbursts were more than the rantings of a deranged mind. But just what, she had no clue. "It's okay. Don't worry about the cat. And we have plenty of milk, now, seeing as you own all the cows. Come on, and lets go back to sleep."

* * *

Fiyero stirred sleepily. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and taking in his surroundings. The terrain changed, it seemed on mere whim. Currently this was some sort of grassy loft, hidden away by the fronds of a weeping willow. Like a private room. A stranger was watching him, he realized. She was a comely enough woman, he supposed. Soft, curling brown locks, crystal blue eyes and gently bronzed skin, clad in a complimenting white dress. He was at first bewildered by her presence. But then he understood.

"Oh, Elphie, why are you doing that," he sighed.

She came close and sat next to him. She touched a hand to his face. "You are so beautiful," she said. "I wanted to be beautiful too, for you. I thought this would be my chance."

He took both her hands in his and looked up into her eyes. "But Elphie, you are beautiful to me. No matter how you look."

The illusion dissolved and she was green once more. "You don't have to lie to me," she told him, dropping her gaze.

"It's not lying, it's another way of looking at things."

She lay back into the grass and snuggled against him. "Sing for me. You have such a wonderful voice."

He smiled and began," _Right here, look what we've got a fairy-tale plot/Our very own happy ending…"_

_"Where we couldn't be happier," _she murmured, feeling very content, almost blissful. Maybe Nessa was right...

* * *

_And we're happy to share our ending vicariously with all of you..._

"_Couldn't be happier," _Turtle Heart joined in the fray. He watched Melena bathe her feet in the small stream. "Turtle Heart to wonder when Frex to join us."

She tossed her hair over her shoulder and the breeze flipped it every which way. "Oh, he'll be along..."

_And with this perfect finale, the cheers and the ballyhoo!/Who couldn't be happier?_

The melody faded like a rainbow after a storm, or like winds calming down at last; and what was left was calm and possibility and relief- _Gregory Maguire, Wicked._


End file.
